The University of Mumbai has announced the launch of a new sub-centre for its Centre of Distance and Online Education (CDOE) in Palghar, aiming to encourage students from rural areas to participate in higher education programmes. The facility will operate from Sonopant Dandekar College in Tembhode, where officials expect around 1,000 student enrollments in the coming academic year.
University authorities said the initiative is the first of its kind in Maharashtra and is designed to widen access to education through distance and online learning. The agreement to establish the centre was signed by Prof. Dr. Shivaji Sargar, Director of the University’s CDOE, and Kiran Save, Principal of the Sonopant Dandekar Educational Institute, in the presence of university representatives and faculty members.
The move forms part of Mumbai University’s broader strategy to improve the state’s higher education enrollment ratio, currently estimated at 28 per cent. Through the expansion of online and distance education facilities, the university aims to raise this figure to 50 per cent by the year 2035.
Officials explained that the centre would provide opportunities for regular college students, working professionals, and individuals who have already completed their studies to pursue an additional degree simultaneously. The initiative is expected to benefit employees from industrial regions such as Tarapur and nearby areas in Palghar district.
Although distance education allows students to study remotely, they often need to visit centres to collect study materials and official documents. To reduce the inconvenience of travelling to the university’s Kalina campus, the new Palghar centre will maintain all necessary course materials locally.
Students enrolling at the centre will be able to access nearly all courses offered by the CDOE, except programmes related to psychology and health sciences. University officials stated that this restriction follows revised UGC guidelines introduced last year regarding health-related courses.