Last reviewed: 2020 | Date effective from: June 2018
Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University
“Jyotirmay” Parisar, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University Marg, Sarkhej Gandhinagar Highway, Chharodi, Ahmedabad - 382481
Contact: +91 79 29796223, 24, 25 | Toll Free No.: 1800 233 1020
Email: info@baou.edu.in | Web: https://baou.edu.in
Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University is established by the Act No. 14 by Government of Gujarat in 1994. The university is also recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and is a member of Association of Indian Universities (AIU). BAOU is recognized by Distance Education Bureau (DEB). The BAOU is the seventh Open University in the country in terms of their establishment. BAOU offers 82 programmes ranging from Certificate to Post Graduate level covering diverse disciplines like Humanities and Social Sciences, Computer Science, Commerce and Management and Education. The university offers Ph.D. Programme in 23 disciplines. The programs are made accessible through 254 university recognized Learner Support Centres across the state. The university has a cumulative enrolment of more than 8,00,000 learners. The head quarter of the university is located at Ahmedabad. The University has established 07 Regional Centre at Rajkot, Surat, Patan, Bhuj, Ahmedabad, Bhavnagar and Godhra. The jurisdiction of the university is the whole State of Gujarat. It is open to all persons irrespective of classes, castes, creed, religion, age or sex.
The ‘Handbook for Learner Support Center’, to be termed subsequently in short as Handbook, is a compiled book of rules and procedures developed concisely for the Learner Support Center. In case a matter is not covered in the Handbook, it is to be brought to the notice of the Registrar, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University for interpretation and decision. The terms used in the Handbook have the meaning as below, unless otherwise stated.
i) BAOU means the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University.
ii) Website means the University website which is www.baou.edu.in
iii) MoU means the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the University with each of the Learner Support Centres.
iv) Regional Centre means a centre established or maintained by the University for the purpose of co-ordinating and supervising the work of study centres in any region and for performing such other functions as may be conferred on such centre by the Board of Management.
v) Learner Support Center (LSC) Study Centre means a centre established, maintained or recognized by the University for the purpose of advising, counseling, evaluating or for rendering any other assistance required by students; Further it may be termed as any educational institution of whatever name it is called or any establishment which may be approved by BAOU as suitable for the purpose. Such institution or organization shall be called as the host institution.
vi) The Centre-in-Charge means the Principal of the host institution; in case of other organization the Head of the institution or any other person whose name is approved by the competent authority.
vii) The Coordinator means a senior staff (teaching, research and extension staff having the rank of lecturer and above) of permanent nature attached to the host institution with at least five years of teaching experience and preferably with some exposure to distance education.
viii) Admission means admission to any programme of the University.
ix) Online Mode of admission means technology assisted admission of the University through internet available on time in the website.
x) Essential qualification means essential academic qualification prescribed by the University for each of the courses.
xi) SLM means the Self-Learning Material supplied by the University to the learners through Learner Support Centres.
xii) Induction Programme means the programme to be organized by a Learner Support Centre for the new learners admitted for the first time in any programme and also other interested learners admitted in earlier batches in BAOU where any representative from BAOU would explain about the ODL system and other important information of BAOU.
xiii) Counseling Session means the contact classes, both theoretical and practical, to the admitted learners in each subject by the teachers of the departments of the host institution or by any other experienced persons whose names are to be approved by the Learner Support Centre Management Committee from time to time.
2.1 The Mission of the university is “Educating and empowering the last mile learners, enabling them to compete with the global world by equipping them with the upright combination of knowledge, skills, employability and values for serving society.” The mission of the university is "Education for all”. The university strives for excellence by developing an innovative, flexible and open system of education using the latest methods and technologies.
2.2 The date of admission into any programme is published on the University Website: www.baou.edu.in
2.3 For admission to a programme, please refer to the instructions contained in the relevant Prospectus.
2.4 Admission into any programme shall be done only through online mode, and the Learner Support Centres across the state of Gujarat will facilitate the interested learners/ persons in matters relating to admission.
2.5 The Learner Support Centres will display the notification of admission mentioning the last date of admission (with fine and without fine) on the Notice Board.
2.6 A learner is to submit all relevant documents for admission through the online admission portal for further verification.
2.7 If a learner requires migration certificate, he/she may apply on plain paper with his/her details along with copy of the marksheet and degree certificate. The fee for obtaining a migration certificate is Rs. 100/- which can be filled in demand draft or in person at the university.
2.8 The Learner Support Centre shall receive the proof of online submission of application from the learners, and shall do the preliminary verification of the original documents with regard to
After the verification process is over, the Learner Support Centre will issue SLMs to the learners on that very day on which the Induction Programme of the Centre is conducted.
2.9 The University will fix a specific date for the Learner Support Centre for conducting the Induction Programme for the new learners. All learners who have taken admission must be present in the Induction Programme. After the Induction Programme is over, the Learner Support Centre will make the necessary arrangements for verification of documents submitted by the learners. Interested learners admitted in any programme in earlier sessions may also attend the Induction Programme.
2.10 Lateral admission in specific programmes will require prior approval of the University authority.
2.11 All the enrolled learners will be provided with the registration number, programme guidelines/prospectus, and photo-identity cards in due course of time.
2.12 As admission is a continuous process, and it is not connected to examination results, nobody should wait for the results. All continuing learners will take admission in the next Semester/year within a period of 30 (thirty) days from the last date admission cycle.
2.13 The maximum duration of the different academic programmes offered by the University are as follows:
2.14 Those learners, who are unable to complete the programme within the specified validity period, shall require register/apply for online admission afresh as per the University’s Regulations.
2.15 The University offers both Elective subjects and Major Course in Bachelor’s Degree Programmes.
2.16 Major Course in Bachelor’s Degree programme is offered from third semester onwards. The intending learners studying for major subjects must have the same subject as one of the elective subjects.
2.17 If a learner wants to change Elective subjects, he/ she should write an application (forwarded by the Learner Support Centre) to the Registrar of the University.
The Learner Support Centre should properly inform the intending learners about the Online Admission process. The following steps are mentioned for helping the learners in the online admission process.
3.1 Before starting the process the learner must keep the following documents ready for uploading at appropriate position
3.2 The online admission link can be seen on the University website https://baou.edu.in
3.3 The applicant is required to click on the Online Admission link
3.4 The applicant is to register first by entering the name, Gender, free-ship card, mobile number, email id, Course name, birthdate, Aadhar card number, username and password. One who has registered can login with the registered username and password.
3.5 Then he/she will be redirected to the Payment Link. PAY NOW button is to be pressed for making the payment. Before making payment, he/she may review the information entered. But once Payment is made, the submitted information cannot be updated.
3.6 Then the applicant is to fill up the form stage by stage (i.e. Personal Details, Course Details, Details of Education and Payment Details). Then he/she is to click on Save button. The saved information can be modified, if required, before the final submission.
3.7 Then upload the relevant documents simultaneously.
3.8 For uploading the documents the applicant is to press the Upload button. One can edit/update application using Edit Option.
3.9 He/She has to click on Final Submission. After successful submission, the applicant is required to take the print out of the application form and the payment receipt for submitting the same to the Learner Support Centre for Collection of SLMs.
4.1 A Learner Support Centre should open a separate bank account preferably at the nearest SBI branch in the name of the particular Learner Support Centre for smooth financial transactions.
4.2 The bank account must be operated jointly by the Centre in-Charge and the Co-ordinator.
4.3 The Learner Support Centre is required to furnish to the university the Bank details containing:
4.4 The Learner Support Centre must submit the admission status and the payment receipts along with the statement of admission to the university just after the online admission process is over.
4.5 If any double payment is made because of any technical reason, the learner is to write to the Registrar for refund in prescribed format, which is available in the university website.
4.6 If the Learner Support Centre does not submit the account of the Prospectus supplied to the centre then the University will deduct an amount which is equal to the 80% of the total value of the Prospectus supplied to the centre from the share money supposed to be paid to that centre.
4.7 A learner shall forfeit his/her examination fee in the event of his/her failure to appear in an examination. However, he/she is not required to pay any course fee for the particular Semester and can appear the examination to be held subsequently only by paying the examination fee.
4.8 Students enrolled can opt for change of study center. For change of study center, student needs to write an application & submit it to BAOU and in that case the preference of students will be considered by the BAOU. As far as possible the request for change of Learner Support Centre is considered favorably.
4.9 The last date of application for change of programme after admission (if any) will be two months from the last date of admission in that semester and the learner is to pay Rs. 500/- plus the cost of SLM Rs. 150/- per programme.
4.10 A learner will have to take admission to the next Semester within one month from the last date of examination of the previous Semester. A learner who could not take admission in the next semester within that stipulated time may take admission with a fine of Rs. 300/- during the next month beyond which no admission is allowed.
4.11 Under special circumstances and on special consideration, a learner may be allowed admission in the next Semester even beyond two months, but before the issue of notification of examination of that Semester by the University on getting individual application with sufficient reasons with a payment of fine of Rs. 500/-.
4.12 After issue of notification of examination of a particular semester, admission may be allowed to a learner in that semester without fine, but the learner will have to appear in the examination of that semester in the next year.
The Learner Support Centre is the main functional unit of the University, as they provide the required support to a learner. So it may be termed as the back bone of the ODL system. The Learner Support Centres approved by the University are meant to facilitate the learners in getting adequate support, which include information regarding admission and examination, classroom, library, IT support, counseling and all others, which come in purview of a Learner Support Centre.
5.1 Jurisdiction: All disputes relating to the university programmes and its activities are subject to Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India jurisdiction only.
5.2 Criteria for applying for BAOU Learner Support Centre:
5.3 Tenure of Coordinator: The tenure of the Coordinator of any BAOU Learner Support Centre is fixed for two (2) years as per the Ordinance of the University. However, it may be renewed for the next term only subject to satisfactory performance to be assessed by the University.
5.4 Induction Programme: Before the commencement of each academic session, each Learner Support Centre will have to arrange for an induction programme for the learners enrolled in the concerned centre.
5.5 Audited Expenditure Statement: Each Learner Support Centre should maintain proper account of the Bank Account (Please see the clause number 4.1 above) of the Learner Support Centre and it is mandatory to send the audited annual statement of expenditure approved by the Learner Support Centre Management Committee to the university within 30th June of each financial year, failing which the share amount due to the centre for the next year will not be released.
5.6 Counseling Session: Counseling classes are to be arranged regularly in the Learner Support Centre. At the end of the session, the Coordinators are required to send to the university the record of counseling classes held for each course in their respective centres with the names & contact numbers of the Counselors engaged along with the learners’ attendance record.
5.7 Document Verification: The Coordinator of the Learner Support Centre is required to arrange for document verification of the enrolled learners in their respective centres on the date of induction programme in the session, and the Coordinator of each Learner Support Centre will be responsible for document verification of the learners enrolled in his/her respective Learner Support Centre.
5.8 Information: Any change of Centre in-Charge/Coordinator and contact details of the Officials of the Learner Support Centres are to be informed immediately to the university office for making smooth communication with the respective Learner Support Centre.
5.9 Sign Board: The Sign Board of the Learner Support Centre should be displayed prominently at a permanent place in the college/ institution.
5.10 Notice Board: There should be a Notice Board in the Learner Support Centre for the purpose of information and notices to the learners.
5.11 Wall Magazine: The Learner Support Centre should make all necessary arrangements for a Wall Magazine for the learners of the BAOU in the centre. The matters published there may be preserved for publication of a compiled volume of the selected articles etc.
5.12 Class Routine: The routine for the counseling classes to be conducted in the study centre for the session should be displayed for the learners on the Notice Board.
6.1 The Counseling Session for the learners in the ODL system is not the normal classroom transactions carried out in the conventional mode of education. The learners are expected to come to the counseling sessions after carefully consulting their Self-Learning Materials (SLMs) so that they can actively participate in the counseling sessions. In the counseling sessions, the counselors and the learners should equally participate and interact.
6.2 All counselling sessions are held on Saturday and Sundays only. There will be at least 30 counselling sessions for each course, and minimum 12 counseling sessions for each course is offered to the learners at their respective Learner Support Centre (LSC).
6.3 The University is sending the SLMs to all the Learner Support Centres in advance in accordance with the record of last semester’s enrolment in respective centres to ensure that a learner gets the SLMs at the time of admission. In case the Learner Support Centre feels the shortage of SLMs in comparison to the flow of new admission, the Coordinator is requested to communicate the Material section of the University well in advance intimating the requirement of SLMs by sending a requisition to the mail id: baou.material@baou.edu.in or material.query@baou.edu.in
6.4 After admission to a particular programme, Self Learning Materials (SLMs) are provided to the learners through the respective Learner Support Centre. Complimentary sets are also sent by the University for the concerned Counselors of the respective Learner Support Centres.
6.5 In case of change of subject, a learner needs to pay the fees as decided by the University from time to time. The cost of SLM is Rs. 150/- per course. Moreover, in case of loss or damage of SLMs, a learner can buy those SLMs paying the amount as stated above in the form of bank challan or through online mode in the university account.
6.6 e-SLMs of all courses are available on the University website as well as OMKAR-e portal.
6.7 Besides SLMs in the printed from and e-SLMs, the Audio-Visual materials are also available through YouTube channel of the university.
6.8 The ICT (Information and Communication Technology)-based support services like—Audio-Visual Programmes available on Swadhyay TV & Swadhyay Radio, OMKAR-e portal for e-Learning, Vande Gujarat Educational Channel, Virtual Classrooms, Social Networking Support (through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) are provided to the learners.
6.9 Learner Support Centres must arrange for counseling sessions for the new learners just after the last date of admission. For the senior learners the classes must be arranged just after one month from the last day of the examination of the earlier semester.
7.1 Term-End Examination: To be eligible to appear in the term-end examination in any course, the learners are required to fulfill the following conditions:
7.2 The University conducts term-end examination at the end of each semester i.e. during May/June and also in December/January. The learners can appear in the examination only after the minimum duration prescribed for the course of study.
7.3 Examination schedule indicating the date and time of examination for each course is sent to all the study centres in advance. The same is also notified in the University website (www.baou.in).
7.4 Submission of Assignment: Assignments are important part of total evaluation process of a learner. The rules regarding assignments are as below-
7.5 Examination Form: A regular learner is not required to fill up any examination form to appear in the term-end examination. However, a learner who is required to appear in the examination of back/arrear course shall have to fill up the examination form. The examination form is to be sent to the Controller of Examinations along with the requisite fee within stipulated time through the Study Centre.
7.6 Examination Fee: The student does not have to pay an examination fees for the first time. If the student fails or does not appear for the examination within the stipulated time, he has to pay the examination fee. A learner is also required to pay the registration fee for degree certificate, programme fee and rechecking etc.
7.7
7.8
7.9 Result Related Information:
7.10 Some Important Information
7.11 Amanuensis for Visually Challenged/Differently Able Person/differently able learner, including the visually challenged learners, may take the assistance of a helper for writing the answers on his/her behalf. The procedure to engage a helper is as follows:
| Department’s Name | Contact Person | Tele. | Ext. No. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head-Learner Support Centre | Dr. Dhaval Pandya | +91 7929796223 | 296 | baou.lsc@baou.edu.in |
| Consultant | Mr. Dilip Patel | +91 7929796223 | 632 | baou.lsc@baou.edu.in |
| Head- Admission Department | Dr. Hetal Gandhi | +91 7929796223 | 296 | baou.admission@baou.edu.in |
| Consultant | Mrs. Monika Gupta | +91 7929796224 | 632 | admission.info@baou.edu.in |
| Assignment | Mr. Jivraj Zanpadiya | +91 7929796225 | 623 | assignment@baou.edu.in |
| Marksheet | Dr. Divyesh Vyas | +91 7929796225 | 628 | marksheet.info@baou.edu.in |
| Special Learner Support Center Coordinator | Dr. Nigam Pandya | +91 7929796223 | 617 | slsc@baou.edu.in |
| Co-Coordinator | Dr. Siddhi Trivedi | — | — | — |
| Gurukul Model Learner Support Center Coordinator | Dr. Chetna Shah | +91 7929796224 | 665 | gurukul0001@baou.edu.in |
| Co-Coordinator | — | — | — | — |
| Scholarship Department (SC/ST Cell) | Mr. Ketan Makwana | +91 79 29796224 +91 79 29796223 +91 79 29796225 +91 2717 297170 | 645/646 | baou.scstcell@baou.edu.in |
| Exam | Mr. Keyur Trivedi | +91 7929796225 | 626 | exam.query@baou.edu.in |
| Vocational and Professional Programmes | Ms. Priyanka Mochi Mrs. Bhavya Thakkar, Ms. Juhi Darji, Mrs. Urvi Pawar | — | 641 | kmro@baou.edu.in |
| Help Desk | — | — | — | help@baou.edu.in |
