IDOL admissions witness dip by 9,000 applicants

Mumbai University’s Institute of Open and Distance Learning (IDOL) has reportedly witnessed a sharp decline in the number of admissions.

According to sources, compared to last year’s numbers, the number of admissions have been reduced by 9,000. Last year, 67,000 students had applied in Mumbai whereas this year, 58,200 students have applied. Moreover, when the admissions closed on December 31, the data showed that the largest fall was in the number of MCom aspirants.

On the other hand, this year, the institute of distance learning will conduct two sessions of admissions like other distance learning institutes.

Earlier on November 9, admission to the first-year courses of the Institute of Distance and Open Learning was initiated in Mumbai. The University Grants Commission (UGC) Distance Education Bureau (DEB) had earlier in its letter dated October 12, 2020, approved the University of Mumbai (MU) Institute of Distance and Open Learning (IDOL) for the academic year 2020-21. Accordingly, MU IDOL has started admissions for the first-year courses. In the past, all the courses in IDOL would happen on an annual basis, however, the UGC has now directed that the courses should be run on a session basis.

As a result, now the college and the IDOL curriculum would be the same. This is touted to provide relief to students who seek admissions to IDOL from degree colleges or shift to colleges from IDOL.