Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

International Centre for Distance Education and Open Learning

1. What is ICDEOL?

Himachal Pradesh University, a premier institution of teaching and research was established in 1970 by an Act of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly. The University took a bold step towards proliferation of knowledge and democratisation of educational opportunities by setting up a Directorate of Correspondence Courses in 1971. The latter has played a pioneering role in launching the programmes through distance education at the postgraduate level in social-sciences, humanities, commerce and teacher training. The Directorate of Correspondence Courses, later rechristened as the International Centre for Distance Education and Open Learning (ICDEOL), has witnessed rapid horizontal and vertical expansion by launching a number of new courses, especially of vocational nature and by consolidating the existing programmes of study.

2. What is the Jurisdiction of ICDEOL?
The distance education programme of the University is open to all persons residing in any part of India and abroad irrespective of race, creed or class subject to the fulfilment of minimum qualifications prescribed for admission and availability of seats. However, as per the NCTE regulations and admissions to M.Ed. and B.Ed. courses are open only to the teachers serving in Himachal Pradesh only.

3. What are different programmes of study at ICDEOL?

4. Is there any entrance test to get admission in ICDEOL?
There is no entrance test expect M. Ed or percentage of marks as criterion for admission to any of the courses through the ICDEOL, except in M.B.A. PGDCA and APGDIT where admission will be made on merit.

5. What and where the centres of Personal Contact Programme?
The Personal Contact Programme Centres for the UG/PG are at SHIMLA and outside the state also as per the concentration of the students strength. The ICDEOL reserves the right to create/close any Centres for Personal Contact Programme at other places in Himachal Pradesh on the basis of density of student-enrolment and availability of the qualified staff. If necessary other PCP Centres will be notified during counselling.

6. What is the duration of Personal Contact Programme?

7. Can I contact my teacher after completion of PCPs?
Yes, you can contact the programme coordinator and course teachers to clarify your doubts related to concerned subject during and after the personal contact programmes.

8. What is the medium of instruction?
The ICDEOL imparts instructions mainly through the medium of printed lecture scripts, which are supplemented by Personal Contact Programmes (PCPs ) and assignments. The medium of instruction at the Postgraduate level is English except in the subjects of Hindi and Sanskrit. The study material will be made available in English; however, students can write their answers in examination either in English or in Hindi. The lectures in personal contact programmes are generally delivered in English. However, the student can get clarifications in Hindi during personal contact programmes as well as practicum either in Hindi or English. At the Undergraduate level, except in case of B.C.A., instructional material is made available in English or Hindi as per the option of student.

9. How can I get accommodation during my PCPs at university campus, Shimla?
The ICDEOL students visiting Shimla are generally provided accommodation subject to availability of accommodation in the University Faculty House on the minimal rates fixed by the University from time to time.

10. Are assignments compulsory?
Yes, 75% assignments are compulsory to become eligible to take examination.

11. Where to submit assignment of the concerned subjects?
All the assignments are required to be submitted before theory examinations to the Section Officers of the concerned department at ICDEOL.

12. What is spot admission programme of ICDEOL?
For convenience of the public as and when felt necessary, the ICDEOL creates spot admission centres at various places in the country. A notice to this effect is published in the leading newspapers of the country.

13. Can I apply for change of Subject after admission?
A student may be allowed to change the subject(s) of his study after submission of his admission form on payment of a fee as prescribed in the prospectus and by a written request addressed to the Director (ICDEOL), subject to the availability of seats, eligibility and permissible subject combination, where applicable. The change will be allowed only if the personal contact programme for the changed subject/course has not been held. In such cases the student may be required to attend the personal contact programme at a centre to be allotted by the ICDEOL.

14. Can a student having compartment at Undergraduate level eligible to get admission?
(i) A student who has not passed the examination but has been placed under compartment in the annual system may be given provisional admission except in the subject of compartment, subject to other provisions pertinent in this regard. His/her admission shall be confirmed only if he/she is successful either in supplementary examination or in the next annual examination in the subject in which he/she was placed in compartment. However a student who has not passed the qualifying examination shall not be eligible for admission to professional courses i.e. MBA, M.Ed., PGDPM, M.Com., PGDCA & APGDIT.
(ii) The admission of a student against whom a case of unfair means is pending will also be provisional.
(iii) A candidate, who is placed under compartment is permitted to join provisionally the next higher class, if otherwise eligible but his admission shall be cancelled retrospectively if he/she fails to obtain the pass marks in the subject of compartment in the supplementary examination of the ensuing annual examination. He/she shall forfeit his/her claim to the declaration of result of the higher class for which he/she is a provisional candidate. He/She shall have no claim against the institution he/she had joined or the fees paid.
(iv) A candidate whose examination result is notified as " Later" may be allowed to join the next higher class provisionally. In case he/she is declared "fail", his/her admission shall stand cancelled and he/she shall forthwith reverted to the lower class. He/she shall have no claim against the institution or the University. Fees paid by the candidate for the higher class shall be adjusted against the dues of the lower class but in case he/she discontinues his/her studies fees paid shall not be refunded.

15. What is the process to renew my admission to the next class/semester?
Once a student has been enrolled to a class he/she shall not be required to purchase a hand-book-cum admission/enrolment form for admission to the next class/part/semester. Instead an admission renewal form shall be required to be filled in and submitted to the ICDEOL for each class/part and semester along with the prescribed fees as per the admission schedule given below. Although an admission renewal form and a notice for submission of the same will be sent by the institution in due course of time yet it would be primarily the responsibility of the student to submit the renewal admission form and fees in time. Renewal form DE-8 is annexed A photostat copy of the same can also be used.

16. Can I get direct admission to second semester of Post-graduation Courses?
Subject to the minimum qualifications prescribed, direct admission to M.A. and M.Com. Second Semester will be made in the month of December / January. Direct admission may also be allowed to a candidate who for any reason is not able to seek admission to the 1st semester subject to the availability of seats as per admission schedule given below. Such a student shall have to seek renewal of admission to the first semester after the last semester examination of the course concerned. However, direct admission to 2nd semester of MBA, M.A. / M.Sc. Mathematics, PGDCA, APGDIT, M.Phil, PGDPM & LW, M.A. (Music) shall not be allowed.

17. How can a foreign student get admission in ICDEOL?
The foreign students residing in India will be allowed admission subject to the condition that before submitting their admission/enrolment forms they shall have to obtain eligibility certificate from the Association of Indian Universities to facilitate their admission to the programme of their choice. They may provide the following information for issue of equivalence certificate to Association of Indian Universities.

(i) Degree/Diploma Certificate together with year-wise academic transcript/mark sheet duly authenticated by Indian mission abroad/concerned foreign mission in India.
(ii) Accredition status of the degree-awarding foreign University authority.
(iii) Bank Draft of US$ 50 or equivalent Indian Currency in favour of the Secretary General, Association of Indian Universities, New Delhi as fee.
(iv) Students residing abroad shall pay in US Dollars
(v) No Objection Certificate from Foreign Registration Office may also be obtained and attached with the admission form.
(vi) No financial transaction in respect of foreign students from their respective countries shall be affected/received through the office of the ICDEOL or the University. Expenditure certificate to the foreign students, if required by them, shall be issued only in respect of the fees realised by the ICDEOL. Such a certificate shall not include any other item of expenditure. Save as otherwise provided, the students residing abroad shall be allowed admission as per normal rules.

18. How can I apply for admission?
The application for admission to a course/class shall be made on the prescribed admission form (DE-9 to DE-15), duly filled in by the candidate legibly in his/her own handwriting along with the documents enlisted hereunder. Photostat copies of the certificates must be attested clearly indicating name and designation of the competent attesting authority.

1. Admission form DE-9
2. Registration form DE-10
(in case of those who are not registered with the H.P.U.)
3. Examination form DE-11
4. Index card DE-12
5. Address slips DE-13
6. Acknowledgement card DE-14
7. Identity card DE-15
8. Latest passport size photograph to be affixed on the admission form duly attested by a gazetted officer or an officer of an equivalent rank.
9. IPOs/Bank Draft towards payment of fees (including the late fee, if applicable) duly crossed A/c payees' and drawn in favour of the Director, ICDEOL, H.P. University Shimla-171005 or deposit the fee at the university counter.
10. Copy of the Matriculation/Higher Secondary School Examination Certificate showing date of birth of the candidate, duly attested by a gazetted officer.
11. Three copies of certificate/detailed marks sheets of having passed the previous examination on the basis of which the candidate is seeking admission duly attested by a gazetted officer in case of B.A. I and B.Com. I. In case of postgraduate classes only one set of attested copies of certificates matriculation onwards is required to be submitted.
12. As per Ordinance 3.11 Migration Certificate shall not be a requirement for admission to any class/ course through ICDEOL.
13. Incomplete application/enrolment form shall not be entertained. In case of an incomplete form being returned to the candidate for completion, the prescribed late fee applicable as on the date of receipt of complete form shall be payable by the candidate. Provided, however, that in the case of a candidate having passed his qualifying examination from a Board/University other than the Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education/Himachal Pradesh University, the admission shall be treated as provisional.
14. A candidate applying for admission under SC/ST/PH category must attach a copy of the requisite certificate issued by the competent authority authenticating the claim.

19. How can I get refund of fee?
Neither the fee shall be adjusted in subsequent year/semester nor any refund shall be permissible on any grounds if a student discontinues studies or is declared ineligible to appear in the examination or fails to appear in the examination. Refund or adjustment of fee shall also not be permissible in case of those students provisionally admitted and subsequently declared ineligible or in those cases whose admission is cancelled.

20. How can I get examinations related queries?
The ICDEOL is an institution owned and controlled by the authority of the Himachal Pradesh University. The examinations in respect of the ICDEOL students are conducted by the University. All matters relating to the examination, i.e. result, marks-sheet, degree etc. are dealt with by the Controller of the Examination. Representations/ applications in this regard, if any, must, therefore, be addressed to the office of the Controller of Examinations with a copy to the ICDEOL.

21. What is the Examination Schedule for Undergraduate and Postgraduate classes?
The examination for M.A./MBA/M.Com./M.Sc/PGDPM & LW/PGDCA/APGDIT & MMC are conducted every year on Semester basis normally in November for I/III semester and in June for II/IV semester. The examination for B.A./B.Com./B.C.A. classes are, however, conducted on annual basis, i.e. once in a year tentatively in the month of March. Supplementary examination for compartment cases of B.A./B.Com./B.C.A. Courses are normally held in the month of September. However the annual examinations of PGDMC are held in the month of June/July every year.

22. What is the medium of examination?
The medium of examination in the subjects of English, MBA, Mathematics, APGDIT, PGDCA, PGDPM&LW shall be English and in all other subjects, the medium of examination shall be either Hindi or English. In case of Sanskrit the medium shall be Sanskrit or Hindi.

23. Can I choose examination centre outside Himachal Pradesh?
In the case of students who wish to opt for a centre outside the state of Himachal Pradesh, the examination centres for undergraduate classes and the postgraduate courses are generally created at the venues of personal contact programmes. The students may, therefore, opt for the centres in order of preference, as in case of the personal contact programme. The University, however, reserves the right to change the examination centre in case the accommodation, required facilities and adequate number of examinees are not available at a particular place.

24. Can I apply for change in allotted examination centre?
A change in the allotted centre of examination may be permitted by the Controller of Examination in the following circumstances:
(a) If the candidate or his/her father or guardian is transferred and the fact of transfer is certified by the Head of the Office or the department in which he/she or his/her father/guardian, as the case may be, is employed.
(b) If the change of centre is necessitated by the reason of a candidate's ill health and the fact of illness is supported by a certificate from a Registered Medical Practitioner not below the rank of an Assistant Surgeon.
(c) To avoid hardship, in an exceptional case, not covered by the above provisions. Prescribed application form DE-6 is available in the Handbook. Photostat copy of the same can also be used.

25. How can I renew my admission for next semester/year?
Once a student has been enrolled to a class he/she shall not be required to purchase a hand-book-cum admission/enrolment form for admission to the next class/part/semester. Instead an admission renewal form shall be required to be filled in and submitted to the ICDEOL for each class/part and semester along with the prescribed fees. Although an admission renewal form and a notice for submission of the same will be sent by the institution in due course of time yet it would be primarily the responsibility of the student to submit the renewal admission form and fees in time. For renewal DE-8 form is used.

26. Is migration certificate required for admission purpose in ICDEOL?
No, there is no need of migration certificate to get admission or to enroll in any ICDEOL programme of Undergraduate or Postgraduate Level.

27. Can I appear simultaneously in annual as well as supplementary examinations, if I have compartment in B.A./B.Com. Part- I /Part- II examinations?
A candidate placed under compartment in part-I and II may be allowed to appear in the concerned paper in the supplementary examination and also in the next annual examination along with the examination for the next part. A candidate of part-III who is placed under compartment or is declared as "Failed" may however be allowed to appear in the concerned subject or the whole examination in the supplementary examination.

28. Should I seek re-admission in the same semester, if I could not get success in semester examination of Postgraduate Classes?
It will not be necessary for a candidate who is not successful in the semester examination to seek re-admission in the same semester. Such a student may appear in the University examination as a "Re-appear candidate/as an Ex-Student" along with the next semester examination.

29. Can I take examination of 3rd semester without appearing in 2nd semester of Postgraduate Classes?
No students will be allowed to proceed to III semester without appearing in II semester and similarly will not be allowed to proceed to IV semester without appearing in III semester.

30. Where one is required to submit re-appear/compartment examination forms and fee?
Students who opt to appear in an examination as failed/re-appear candidates should submit their examination forms and fee directly to the Controller of Examinations, H.P. University Shimla-5 duly attested by a Gazetted Officer. The students are also advised to send these examinations forms and fee for each semester separately.

31. What is normal schedule to submit examination forms?
Normally, the forms are accepted in the 1st and 2nd week of October for the I/Ill semester examination and in 1st and 2nd week of April for II/IV semester examination.

32. Should I fill separate form for each class/ semester, if I have failed/compartment or re-appear?
A student appearing as failed/compartment/re-appear/ex-student of the ICDEOL shall use a distinct form specially meant for such students. Separate form for each class/part in case of B.A. examinations and each semester for P.G. examinations is required to be submitted to the Controller of Examinations, HP University, Shimla-171 005 along with the prescribed fee. Form DE-1 or photostat copy of the same can also be used. Add the Examination Fee as cost of form.

33. From where can I get the compartment/re-appear forms?
The form for re-appear/failed students/ex-students can be obtained from the incharge enquiry section, H.P. University Shimla-171005, by sending B.D./IPOs payable to Finance Officer H.P. University Shimla-171005 by Post or can be downloaded from ICDEOL’s website but cost of form should be included in the total fee payable.

34. What is the time period between the two semester examinations of the same degree?
Save as elsewhere provided, in an examination in which a candidate has to appear to complete the degree of an undergraduate class, the period between the examination that he/she has passed before and the next examination shall not exceed three years and in case of a candidate of postgraduate class (under semester system) such period between one semester and another shall not exceed two years.

35. How can I get my examination result?
Result card/detailed marks sheet/certificate, etc. shall be despatched to the concerned students immediately after the declaration of their result. The results of I/III semester examination are usually declared in the month of February/March and those of the II/IV semester in August/September. In case of undergraduate examination the tentative schedule of declaration of result is June/July for annual examination and November/December for supplementary examination.

36. How can I apply for re-evaluation of answer books?
Re-evaluation of answer books is permissible under ordinance 6.70 of the First Ordinances of the H.P. University. Main provisions are as under:-

(a) If a candidate feels that the answer-book has not been fairly evaluated she/he may within 21 days of the issue of the detailed marks card by the University apply to the Controller of Examinations on a prescribed application form accompanied by the marks card in original and the prescribed fee in the form of IPO's/B.D. drawn in favour of Finance Officer H.P. University, Shmila-171005.
(b) The re-evaluation fee once deposited with the University shall not be refunded. However, the re-evaluation fee will be re-funded if application has been rejected under clause 6.70 (a) & (g) of the Ordinances of the University.
(c) The score on re-evaluation shall supersede the original score provided that in case of a candidate securing pass or more marks on original evaluation, the downward revision on re-evaluation shall not go lower than that the level of pass marks in the paper concerned.
(d) Whatever be the change in awards after re-evaluation, the same shall be conveyed to the candidate by the Controller of Examinations.
(e) A candidate who applies for re-evaluation shall not be entitled to claim any retrospective benefit such as admission / promotion to any course / class, eligibility to sit for the entrance test or the grant of scholarship /award / medal, etc. on the basis of the result of re-evaluation which shall not be considered as a time-bound process.
(f) A defaulting student will not be entitled to apply for re-evaluation after expiry of the date, i.e. after 21 days from the date of the declaration of the general result of the class concerned if the result has been delayed on account of his own fault.
(g) Prescribed application form for Re-checking/ Re-evaluation is a priced document. The form DE-5 is added in the Hand-Book and the students can use a photo copy of the same in the prescribed fee for Re-evaluation.
(h) The re-appear/failed/compartment candidates who apply for Re-checking / Re-evaluation of their scripts are advised to fill in the Examination Form for the forthcoming examination in time, without waiting for the Re-Checking / Re-evaluation result.

37. How can I improve my scores and division?
No one who has already passed an examination of the University established by law in India shall be permitted to re-appear in the same examination. Provided that before a candidate becomes eligible for the award of the degree, may apply for the cancellation of the result of any course(s) in which he/she may have passed in any semester examination and may re-appear in the corresponding semester examination(s) to improve his/her score in the particular course(s). Provided further that a person belonging to any of the following categories who has already obtained or has become eligible for the award of the degree may be allowed to re-appear in the same examination to improve division.

(i) A person who has obtained or has become eligible for the award of the degree from the University.
(ii) A person who being a resident of the area within the territorial jurisdiction or the University has obtained his degree from the Punjab University, Chandigarh before establishment of this University.
(iii) A person who being employed as a whole time teacher in the University or a college affiliated to or maintained by it and has obtained such a degree from any other University established by law in India.

A candidate belonging to category (i) above may be allowed to appear in any course(s) which may be either entirely new or in which he may wish to appear again to improve the score if he has already obtained the degree or may have the option after the declaration of final result whether he wants to take the degree or to get one or more courses of the final semester cancelled to improve his score in the course / courses but the option must be exercised by the candidate within one month of the date of declaration of result of IV Semester. Marks obtained by him / her in the course in which he / she re-appeared and the marks obtained by him/her in the earlier examination in the courses in which he / she does not appear shall determine his / her new division.
The result of the candidate appearing for the improvement of division shall only be declared if he / she is able to improve his/her division or get at least 55% marks in the aggregate of the result desired to be improved.

A candidate belonging to categories (ii) and (iii) above shall have to appear in all the courses prescribed for all the four semesters but he / she shall have the option to complete the examination either in one year or in two years. If a candidate permitted to appear in an examination for the purpose of improving his/her score in course(s) under the first provision subparagraph (i) above fails in the said course(s) he/she shall be declared as "re-appear" in the course concerned and shall be allowed to be governed by the same rules as are applicable to re-appear candidates.
Provided that no candidate shall be allowed to get his/her score in any course(s) cancelled more than once and if a candidate after getting his/her course(s) cancelled does not appear in the corresponding examination, his / her previous score in the course(s) shall stand but shall not be given another chance to get the score cancelled.

Provided further that a candidate permitted to re-appear in the examination for the purpose of improving his / her division shall be allowed only two attempts in each paper within a maximum period of five years after he / she has qualified for the award of the degree.

Provided further that such candidates shall have to appear in the corresponding semester examination (s) and according to the syllabus of studies in force at the time of said examination(s).
Improvement of Score in Under-Graduate Classes (For admission purpose only) :

A candidate who does not fulfil the percentage required for admission to Master's degree course may be allowed to improve his / her score in only one subject / additional subject of choice only within two years from the passing of the respective examination. Provided that this concession shall be for the purpose of eligibility for admission to a course for which graduation is the minimum qualification for admission.

38. What is the pass percentage of marks in University Examinations?

The pass marks in each course / subject are as under:

39. What is the classification of divisions?
The candidates who are successful in an examination are classified as under :

First division : Those who obtain 60% or more of the aggregate marks.
Second division: Those who obtain 50 % or more but less than 60% of the aggregate marks.
Third division : Those who obtain less than 50% marks (not applicable for M.B.A )
Distinction : Those who obtain 75% of the aggregate marks in first attempt will be shown to have passed the examination with distinction.

40. How can I get Consolidated Marks Card (CMC) /Provisional Certificate/Duplicate Certificate?
A student who desires to obtain consolidated marks card/provisional certificate after passing all semester examinations of course may send an application to the Controller of Examination, H.P. University on the prescribed application form DE-4 and DE-4B downloadable from ICDEOL website along with requisite fee as the case may be drawn in favour of the Finance Officer, H.P. University, Summer Hill, Shimla-5.

41. How can I get my degree?
The degrees are usually awarded to the candidates after one year of passing the concerned examination. The candidate desirous to obtain his/her degree earlier may make an application on the prescribed application form DE-4A along with the prescribed fee in the shape of IPO's/B.D. drawn in favour of the Finance Officer, H.P. University, Summer Hill, Shimla-171005.

42. How can I get my migration certificate?
A Migration Certificate to join some other University/institution may be granted to a student on his request on the prescribed Performa and accompanied with the request through IPO's/Bank draft drawn in favour of the Finance Officer H.P. University Shimla-171005. A Specimen format DE-7 is used for the purpose.

43. What are working hours of the library of ICDEOL?
The library of ICDEOL at Shimla remains open from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. throughout the year except on Second Saturday, Sunday and other University holidays.

44. How can I get membership of the library?
A person eligible and desirous of becoming a member of library shall fill in and sign a membership registration format DE-2 and membership card at DE-14 (annexed) and send them to Assistant Librarian along with two passport size photographs duly attested by a Gazetted Officer/Principal or by the Assistant/Dy. Registrar of the ICDEOL. Each student member shall be issued Library Identity-cum-Membership passbook at the time of enrolment which entitles him/her to take on loan two books at a time. Members will be enrolled during March to November. Library membership form and card duly filled in must be submitted by the student along with two passport size photographs duly attested and a demand draft drawn in favour of the Director, ICDEOL. This library security money should be sent through a draft separately to Asst. Librarian ICDEOL, H.P. University, Shimla-5. The circulation of documents will remain closed from 1st January to 15th February.

45. How can I borrow books from Library?
Outstation members who wish to have books sent out of Shimla, will have to bear one way cost of postage. The books will be sent under registered cover at the expenses of the ICDEOL, whereas the safe return will of books will entirely be the responsibility of the members.The loan period of books is 21 days for local members and 30 days for the outstation members. For delay beyond the prescribed period, overdue charges @ Re. 1 per book per day for late return and price for loss mutilation of documents shall have to be paid. In addition to the facility available at the ICDEOL library, the ICDEOL students can avail the facility of inter-library loan of books from the main library of the University. The University library is housed in a multi-storey building with a space to accommodate more than two lakhs of volumes in stack halls and about 600 readers in reading halls.

46. How can I get prescribed forms/proformae and where to submit all these?
The prescribed forms/Performa as needed by the students at the time of admission and during the course of study/examination and even afterwards that are annexed to the Hand Book of information or downloadable from website. Forms marked as DE-9 to DE-15 duly completed in all respects are required to be submitted at the time of admission. Forms DE-1 to DE-8 be retained by the students and be submitted to the ICDEOL or concerned office duly filled in as per requirements if/when needed.

47. How can I get latest information about admission, examination and other related fee?
You can get information about admission, examination and other related fee from the latest handbook of information/Prospectus of ICDEOL or from the website of ICDEOL. If you are using downloaded form for above purpose, please add cost of the form in the total fee payable.

48. Can I get information related to admission and examination at Learning Resource Centre, NOIDA?
The ICDEOL has also set up its Information-cum-Guidance Office cum Learning Resource Centre at: HIMGIRI, B-13, Pocket B, (Institutional Area), Sector-62, NOIDA, Pin-201 309.