By Shubhani Syal
There are various ways to do your college studies, one of them being distance learning. However, such courses have been getting a lot of bad rep since their introduction.
A boon for people with jobs, financial issues and various other problems, distance learning is a great alternative to regular courses.
Since I am doing my B.Com(Hons.) from School of Open Learning, University of Delhi, I have heard a lot about what people think about these. So let’s break some of these myths today.
What Are Distance Learning Courses?
Before I get into some common misconceptions, it’s important to talk about what distance learning actually entails.
So a distance learning course is a college course where you do not have to actually attend any classes and only give exams based on your syllabus to get a degree. A variety of courses are offered by numerous open schools so you can do any course you want.
These colleges generally do not have teachers, project assignments, fests, clubs, extra-curricular activities, and sometimes maybe not even a physical building. Some popular examples are IGNOU, School of Open Learning (university of Delhi), etc.
Only Stupid People Don’t Enrol In Distance Learning Courses
The first misconception people have about distance learning courses is that stupid people do it.
Sorry about being a little crude but the moment you tell someone you’re doing your studies from an open school, that’s what they think. You’re stupid.
Though its true that the cutoffs for admissions in open schools are lower but that’s not why most people do these.
Personally, I’ve always been a good student and hearing that I’m studying from SOL makes people dubious. The reality is that I was doing CA and couldn’t do a regular course along with it, not that I couldn’t get into a regular course.
With the huge number of colleges there are, it is virtually impossible to not get into one, no matter your 12th results.
Most people I have met at the exam centers, are doing this either because its cheap, they’re working or they’re doing some other course. So, get those judgmental looks off your face, distance learning is not for stupid people.
Distance Learning Courses Are Not Easier
Most people think that because you’re doing a distance learning course, you have it easy. But oh no. Yes we don’t have regular classes and semester exams, but that doesn’t make it easy. Au contraire, it makes it HARDER.
You have no way to know the pattern of papers, important topics, what kind of answers are expected, the best reference books or people to just study with.
Also, semester exams mean lesser syllabus and subjects per exam, and it keeps you more regular. Having 10 exams together once a year in shitty exam centres in June in Delhi heat is not easy. It’s basically torture.
Distance Learning Courses Don’t Give Out A Different Degree
Sorry to burst that bubble of superiority complex, but the degree awarded for both distance learning courses and regular course by the same university, is same.
So yes, even though I do not attend classes or enjoy those amazing DU fests, (so jealous rn) I will still get the same degree from the University of Delhi. Of course, my college will be School of Open Learning which might sway people but, that’s true for regular courses too.
The college name has a factor and a regular course from a not the top college will not be any different than this. This was personally one of the reasons I chose SOL over IGNOU. Because, a Delhi University degree matters.
So, if you’re working, studying, financially unstable, a parent, unable to move away from home or for any reason cannot attend regular classes don’t be scared to go with a distance learning course.
They are not in any way inferior to your regular courses. It’s all a social stigma, like taking up Commerce in school. Now that’s a completely different article.
(Images from Google Images)
http://edtimes.in/2016/07/demystifying-small-talk-your-tool-to/
