SYMBIOSIS - SCDL

1 1 SYMBIOSIS CENTRE FOR DISTANCE LEARNING (SCDL) Student s Handbook 2014 2 Director s Message Global boundaries are vanishing, merging people of diverse cultures, nationalities and age groups. Education is emerging as the most powerful platform in the ' boundary-less' world. Distance learning opens new directions of opportunities for students to obtain higher education without the constraint of location and time. SYMBIOSIS Centre for Distance Learning (SCDL) offers a chance to enhance your career and life through the medium of quality education. SYMBIOSIS Centre for Distance Learning (SCDL) has pioneered in India interactive e-Learning content in the curriculum as a supplementary learning methodology, in order to improve the understanding of concepts through cases and examples.

2 SCDL has for the first time in India, introduced online assessment systems, to pursue our mission of flexible learning opportunities anywhere, anytime and to provide ultimate convenience, ease and flexibility to our students. The Corporate Business Administration program has also gained tremendous popularity and SCDL is now an education provider to leading companies in India, such as IBM, HP, Cognizant, Cegedium, Deloitte, Infosys, Dr. Reddy's, Wipro, Ranbaxy, BOSCH, Collabera, Steria, EXL, Aditya Birla, Bharti Wallmart, Vodafone and Cipla etc. SCDL has been invited by foreign universities for collaboration; a mark of our excellent quality education. I welcome each one of you to our 'Global Campus' where latest technology, innovative teaching methodologies and quality education are blended together to create unique learning experiences.

3 Dr. Swati. S. Mujumdar Principal Director, SYMBIOSIS Open Education Society Director, SYMBIOSIS Centre for Distance Learning 3 Contents: Sr. No Details Page No. SECTION I: GUIDELINES FOR STUDENTS OF ACADEMIC YEAR 2014-14 1 Admission Related Information / Instructions Confirmed Admission Provisional Admission Late Admission Important Instructions 5 2 Fee Instructions Mode of Payment Fee Policies Fee Concession Scheme to Economically Backward Community (EBC) 6 - 7 3 Admission Policies Admission Cancellation (By SCDL) Refund of Program Fees (By Student) Change of Programs / Splz / Profile / Category and Apply for Dual Splz Important Dates Administrative Charges for Other Service Requests 7 - 10 4 Self-Learning Material Dispatch & Re-Dispatch Purchase of SLM 11 5 Academic Instructions E-Learning Facility Virtual Classroom & Chat Room Facility Pre-Recorded Lecture DVD Facility and List of DVDs E-Library and Library Facility 11 14 6 Timelines for Activities 14 7 Student Support Services E-Communication & Call Centre Grievance Cell 15 8 Student Grievance Redressal Forum 15 9 Web Based Services Minimum System Requirements and Pop Up Blocker Student Center Login 15 16 10 List of SCDL Holidays for the Year 2014 16 SECTION II.

4 EXAMINATION HANDBOOK 11 Introduction to Exams and Assignments 18 12 Evaluation Methodology (All Programs) 18 22 13 Grace Marks Policy 22 14 Guidelines for Assignment (All Programs) 22 15 Guidelines for Computer Based On Demand Exams (For General/Defence/Paramilitary/Police Category Students) 23 24 16 Instructions & Procedure for Exam Slot Booking (To appear for Exams from INDIA) 24 26 17 Guidelines for Computer Based Exams (For International / SAARC Students) 26 29 18 Credit System 29 19 Award of Diploma Certificate (All Programs) 30 20 Contact Us 30 4 SECTION I GUIDELINES FOR STUDENTS OF ACADEMIC YEAR 2014-15 5 SECTION I: GUIDELINES FOR STUDENTS OF ACADEMIC YEAR 2014-2015 5 1. ADMISSION RELATED INFORMATION / INSTRUCTIONS Every student of SCDL who is registered receives an admission letter, ID card, set of bar code labels, SRF, Program Fee Payment form.

5 Confirmed Admission Students who fulfill all the admission related eligibility criteria as per SCDL policies get confirmed admission. An admission letter, an ID card, bar codes is send to students by post. Provisional Admission Provisional Admission is given when the application has deficiencies such as: Degree certificate/ Marksheet are not attested. Service Certificate (for Diploma holders and active Defence Personnel) is not enclosed. Insufficient documents. Incomplete / Unsigned application form. Name Change Certificate is not enclosed. Photographs (2 copies) are not attached. Visa / Passport copy (for International / SAARC students) is not enclosed. Photo ID proof not submitted. Students admitted on provisional basis do not receive an ID card until their admission is confirmed. Students must submit required documents (notarized/attested) or comply with deficiencies immediately upon receipt of provisional admission letter, so as to get confirmed admission.

6 Provisional admissions of students who fail to submit the required documents on or before November 29, 2014 are liable to be cancelled and SCDL will not refund any fees paid by the student in such an event. It is the sole responsibility of students to submit all the required documents within the prescribed timeline. Late Admission The admission of all students admitted after September 15, 2014 will be considered as late admissions. Students admitted late are required to pay the prescribed fees in full ( first and second installment) of the program they have enrolled in and they will not be eligible for any kind of refund of fees or change of Program / Specialisation. Important Instruction It is mandatory for all students to activate & access their login-ID on the website after receiving the Student Centre Login details, mentioned in the admission letter.

7 All admission related queries ( queries for confirmed / provisional admission, ID card) should be sent to SCDL on Please ensure that the registration number printed on the admission letter & barcode labels is the same. If not, please contact SCDL for new barcode labels. Students cannot opt for two PG Diploma Programs at SCDL. That is, students who have enrolled earlier, should complete the earlier program successfully (exam, assignment, practical & project as applicable for the program) before applying for another PG diploma with SCDL. Students should forward attested photo copies of documents clearly mentioning their registration number, name & address on each document. Students should not submit any original documents. SCDL will not be responsible for return / loss of such original documents / certificates.

8 6 2. FEE INSTRUCTIONS For General / Civil / Defence / Paramilitary / Police / SYMBIOSIS Employee / International / SAARC Students: Mode of Payment Online: Students can pay registration fees, program fees and exam fees online. Demand Draft: Students can pay fees via a Demand Draft (DD) drawn in the favour of The Director, SCDL, Pune and payable at Pune. All DDs should be sent by post / courier to SCDL, Pune only. Student must affix bar code sent to them with Admission Letter and mention their name, registration no., contact no., program enrolled and type of fees being remitted on the reverse side of the DD. Students must retain a photocopy of the Demand Draft sent to SCDL. SCDL will not be responsible for lost / delayed / unidentified DDs. SCDL is not liable for loss of financial instruments in transit or for unidentified financial instruments, without sender s details or reason of fee remittance on the reverse of the DD.

9 No Cash must be sent by Post/ Courier to SCDL. SCDL will not be responsible for depositing for any Cheque which are not payable or cash sent by post/courier. Cash: All types of fees can be paid in cash only at SCDL, Main Pune Campus. International / SAARC students: Such students must remit all fees in USD or INR equivalent, as prescribed by SCDL, irrespective of the USD / SAARC conversion rate. The Exchange rate for conversion will be Rs. 63 against 1 USD for the current Financial Year - 1st April 2014 to 30th March 2015. Fee Policies for all Programs Students have two options of paying the fees, as mentioned below: 1. Full Fee option: wherein the student can pay the full course fees in a single installment on or before August 2, 2014. 2. Two-Installment mode, wherein the student can pay the course fees in two installments (as prescribed for the respective program).

10 Students are required to pay the first installment on or before August 2, 2014 and pay the second installment on or before September 30, 2014. Students, who will pay the full or balance fees after August 2, 2014 will be required to pay as per the total amount specified in the installment mode. Students, who have been granted admission on a provisional basis, are also required to pay Program Fees as per the prescribed fee installment timeline. SCDL is not liable for refund any excess / unidentified fees (no registration number / no name / no fee type mentioned DD/s) paid by the student towards program / course / exam / other fees. Any excess fees, if paid by a student, can be utilized for any other applicable services by the student in the same financial year subject to the Director's approval. Student must submit a formal application (Unidentified fee Form available in student centre login) for the same on or before March 01, 2015.