:Distance Education, as a layman may understand, is the learning process where the learner and the taught are separated, by time and space. A noble attempt at enriching the masses Distance Education has emerged as an innovative form of education. In an era where we are talking of Open Educational Resources and Mega Universities in the context of Distance Education (DE), it is astonishing to notice that DE had a humble beginning in the nontraditional efforts of some individuals. Though the prospective aims of establishing this form of education have changed over the centuries, yet the basic intention of closing the €œsocial gap€ in higher education has remained intact. ??Distance Education as an external study was not unfamiliar either. Though G. Ram Reddy would not consider this form of education as Distance Education, yet it cannot be denied that Distance Education succeeded external study system to become what it is today. Private appearances did prevail in India, only to be wiped off by correspondence education. The reason behind introducing correspondence education in India was provided by the then Education Minister, Shri K L Shrimali -To provide a less expensive and yet an efficient system of education in the context of national development in IndiaTo offer educational opportunities for the less fortunateTo offer the educated Indians academic paths for improvementAlternative education had been a top priority of the Government which is noticed from the onset of the Five Year Plans. The First Five Year Plan provided for private study with the help of correspondence courses, radio talks offered by the Universities across the country. It also allowed the students to take private examinations. It was during the Third Year Plan (1960-65) that the country saw a boom in the demand of higher education, which the traditional universities failed to absorb. With a stagnant economy, the Government was finding it hard to deal with the crisis and hence considered the widening of the non-formal of education in order to meet the national demand of a democratic form of education, in which no one was denied access to education. Hence, this Plan proposed for evening colleges and awarding of external degrees for the students pursuing private studies or correspondence courses. Distance Education of higher education is the example of evolution in post-independence India.