Andhra University School of Distance Education (AUSDE) has gone online for its admission, verification of documents, registration for examination, payment of fee and issuing of hall tickets.

AU Vice-Chancellor G. Nageswara Rao, who launched the online system here on Friday, said that the university had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the TCS iOn which had developed a software for the smooth online transactions.

With the introduction of the new system, those applying for any course offered by the SDE can register online, pay admission fee through the SBI payment gateway.

The uploaded documents would be verified online after which the student can download the syllabi.

 All information related to the courses will be informed by SMSes and e-mails to the candidates. However, those have registered should attend the contact classes and write the examinations offline since it is descriptive. Results will be declared online,  the V-C said, adding that the portal would also help students manage their profiles.

TCS iON’s cloud-based digital platform can be used by students to avail themselves of the university services any time from anywhere and from any device including mobile platforms.

 The SDE going online is a part of the university s vision for digital transformation. Andhra University is one of the first few universities in the country that have started correspondence courses long time ago. Once the online examination system is introduced for regular courses, contemplated from the next semester, the online examination will be considered for SDE too,  Mr. Nageswara Rao told the media.

He said that the online system would save time as the students did not have to make repeated trips at the time of admissions and payment of examination fees.

With the Andhra University being chosen as the Category One university by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development, the AU has become eligible for several exemptions from the University Grants Commission (UGC) in introducing and working out syllabi for SDE courses, the Vice-Chancellor said, adding that the AU does not have to take the permission of District Education Bureau too.

New courses

 A Yoga course will be introduced and depending upon the enrollment, the contact classes will be conducted in the defence establishment itself. The Master of Journalism and Mass Communication of SDE will be reintroduced,  the V-C said.