Provision of Learner Support Services

The University has always believed in the fact that Learner Support Services are the most important components of ODL and as such these were at the top of the agenda of the University in all these years. The University has a three-tier system of Learner Support Services viz., at head-quarter level, regional center level and at the LSCs. Learners issues, queries and worries are varied in nature, but, the major areas of concern are being carefully handled by the University. These usually relate to queries regarding admissions, non-delivery of SILM, or the examination (examination covers a wide range of queries of learners). The University has made arrangements to facilitate Learner Support Services in all the three levels in a systematic manner.  A detailed account of these support services is as follows;

• Help-Desk at Head-quarter level: A learner visiting the head-quarter with a query, confusion or problem is duly supported at the help-desk of the University which settles telephonic, online and off-line queries of learners.
• Kiosk: There is a kiosk located in the University, it contains all the relevant details of learners and they may access information related to submission of admission fee, examination fee, issue of books etc. by putting their enrollment number and date of birth in the kiosk. It is a very convenient source of support for learners and they do not have to run from one counter to another in search of information.
• The University has provided a weblink (www.support.uou.ac.in) to learners it is based on the unique ticketing system by which learners can generate a ticket to register their issue/ complaints and they may track the progress of its resolution over the period of time.
• Departmental blogs: Each department of the University has a blog dedicated to various types of support services available to the learners and they may communicate their issues through these blogs and the faculty of the department/school ensures that the required support is provided to the learners.
• Online Counseling: In addition to the routine counseling at the LSCs the Universityconducts online counseling for the benefits of the learners and it has proved to be a very valuable practice with regard to student support service.
• LMS: The University has dedicated LMS on which assignments are uploaded and e-SILM is available to the learners and they may use it while the physical copy may still be on its way. Further, video lectures are also available to supplement the learnings made with the help of SILM.
• The learners who prefer to accept the e-SILM and that who do not take the physical copies of SILM are allowed a concession of 15% in the programme fee. It acts as early support service and eventually it leads to encouraging paper-less use of SILM.
• Library: The University has a library and a reading room and the learners who are interested in further studies in addition to SILM are allowed to consult the library to enhance their learning.
• Support services for differently abled learners: A number of learners are differently abled and the University takes special care of such learners by providing the services of a writer in the examination to Visually impaired and physically challenged, by allowing extra time in the examination room to learners, and by providing wheel-chair to the differently abled learners visiting head-quarters. (Upload policy document for writer and extra time)
• Community radio: Community radio provides various support services to the learners by way of conveying information to them about the admissions, examination, assignments, counselling etc. Further, interactive radio sessions are also arranged to resolve the queries of the learners while the programme is on-air. (http://www.uou.ac.in/crs)
• Regional Centers: At Regional Centers many services are available like:

1. • To attend to the queries of the learners and to communicate with the University to resolve these complaints/ queries.
   • ICT facilities have been provided by the University to the RCs and the learners may take support of these ICT facilities available at the RCs.
   • Whenever the University conducts special counseling sessions at RCs, entire arrangements and monitoring is done by the RCs to ensure maximum learner support.
   • Laboratories available at the RCs are used by the learners for practicals and even for practice purposes.
   • The RCs organize seminars to spread the philosophy of ODL and during these seminars most of the LSCs are invited so suitable guidance is provided to LSCs for the benefit of the learners.
   • RCs organize meeting of the LSCs and monitor the work of LSCs to ensure maximum learner support.
   • Regional Director at RC keeps visiting LSCs to improve the services provided by the LSC to the learners.
   • Smooth conduct of term-end examinations.

• Learner Support Centers: LSCs directly engage the learners, hence, they act as the back-bone of learner support system. At LSCs the following system of learner support exists:

1. • Regular counseling is arranged for the learners.
   • Practical sessions are also conducted in in subjects which demand practical exposure.
   • Library facilities and computer facilities are available for the learners at the LSCs.
   • LSCs guide the learners about filling-in of forms and in case of off-line admissions the entries in the SIS of the University are made by the LSCs.
   • LSCs provide SILM to the learners, provided the SILM has been sent at the address of the LSC.
   • LSCs guide the learners about assignments, and evaluate the assignments. After evaluation these assignments are shown to the learners so that they could understand their weaknesses, if any.
   • Apart from the above various links have been provided by the Unviersity to the LSCs regarding entry and editing of information of learners, downloading of I.Card, generating the hall ticket, and particulars of the SILM issued, etc., all these permissions have been given to LSCs to ensure the maximum support to the learners.

Attachments

• Organizational Support Services Chart
• List of support services available at three tier level