Indira Gandhi National Open University and Distance Education Council

Indira Gandhi National Open University and

Distance Education Council

The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) was established in 1985 by an Act of Parliament (50 of 1985). Since then, the IGNOU has undergone rapid expansion and emerged as an international institution in the field of Open-Distance learning. As per the provisions of the IGNOU Act, the University works to:

a)Strengthen and diversify offerings of degree, diploma and certificate programmes related to the needs of employment as necessary for building the economy of the country;

b)Provide opportunities for higher education to a large cross-section of our people, in particular the disadvantaged segments of society;

c)Promote acquisition and up-gradation of knowledge and offer opportunities for training and retraining in the contexts of innovation and research;

d)Encourage an innovative system of university level education, flexible and open with regard to methods and pace of learning, combination of courses, eligibility for enrolment, age of entry, conduct of examination and delivery of the programmes to encourage excellence; and

e)Coordinate, promote, assess and accredit open and distance learning system to determine the standards; and

f)Promote national integration and the integrated development of the human personality through convergence of all systems of education.

The IGNOU’s student strength has grown manifold to 2.5 million cumulative student enrolments today. The different levels of programmes presently offered range from Doctoral to Certificate in niche market-oriented areas such as Rural development Journalism, Intellectual Property Rights, Hospitality Management, IT Management, Clinical Cardiology and Information Technology to Awareness’ programmes like Computer Literacy, Rural Artisans and HIV/AIDS. The University is providing a cost-effective education to its students.

The university functions through a network comprising the headquarters, regional centres at states/UTs, study centres and partner institutions within the country and in 33 countries overseas. It is now widely accepted as a system leader in the field of open and distance learning the world over. The University offered 338 Certificate, Diploma, Degree and Doctoral programmes through 21 Schools of Studies, 12 Divisions, 14 Centres, and a network 61 regional centres, 3,000 study centres, and 52 partner institutions spread across 33 countries with the help of 413 teachers and academics and 1,205 administrative staff. The additional help also sought from about 6,000 experts from conventional universities and other organizations, and about 36,000 part-time academic counsellors.

The university follows the credit system whereby each course and programme has a specified number of credits. Each credit involves 30 hours of learner study time. The learners can keep accumulating credits as per their convenience. The university has also adopted the modular approach, which helps the learners in moving gradually, through small modules, towards higher levels of learning.

The university provides a multi-media learning system comprising print, audio, video, radio, television, teleconferencing, interactive radio counselling, internet-based learning and face-to-face interactives and through ICTs, counselling and practicals. Reaching a large number of students and further enriching/explaining the printed study materials have been the major objectives of the above listed multiple media. The university has a state-of-the-art Electronic Media Production Centre (EMPC). The following media resources are available in the university:

Regular two-way audio and one-way video teleconferencing: About 250 interactive nodes spread all over the country offer two-way interactive tele-counselling, tele-teaching, tele-training, tele-discussion and extended contact programme. The facility has gone digital and is now available through INSAT-3C.
Interactive radio counselling: To bridge the gap between the institution and the learners through instant response to their academic and administrative queries. At present, 184 radio stations across the country broadcast interactive phone-in counselling every Sunday (4.00-5.00 pm). The students participate from their home through toll-free telephone to interact with the experts at various radio stations.
Gyan Darshan: A full-time television channel for education, telecasts programmes for 24 hours. The programmes are available through cable network of local cable operators, and are contributed by a number of institutions of learning like IGNOU, UGC-CEC, NCERT, CIET, NIOS, NLM and some government and non-governmental organisations.
Gyan Vani: A radio cooperative, through 27 FM radio stations, devoted exclusively to education and development through regional production and broadcasting across the country.
Edusat or Educational Satellite : Edusat has found its hub in the headquarters recently. As a result of which the latency time has been saved from 11 seconds to 4 seconds, which means, students and educators/trainers taking the academic delivery do not have to wait tantalizingly long for reaching them.
A Pan-African Satellite hub has also been created to disseminate education to a few select African nations, where IGNOU had been able to extend its reach. Students on exchange or scholarship are the best beneficiaries, even as further extension of the reach is being carried out.

During the year 2009-10, about 163 new programmes have been developed and launched. A number of audio and video programmes were produced and these include 1526 Audio programmes (Excluding programmes produced at Gyan Vani Stations)and 3348 Video and other Programmes produced till date. Further, in order to strengthen the regional network services, the University has set up 755 new study centres and 3 Regional Centres at Raghunathganj, Bhagalpur and Jorhat were established. The IGNOU caters to learners from rural and tribal areas, disability groups, jails and rehabilitation centres, government and non-governmental organizations, parents and home-makers, the employers and the employed. The university has adopted a policy of special focus on women, socially and economically disadvantaged groups, the North-East region, tribal regions and other most backward districts of the country. During the year, 4 Study Centres at educational backward blocks identified by Planning Commission and Sachar Committee and 10 under the CNRI were established. The National Centre for Differently Studies established to provide educational, vocational and awareness programmes for the differently abled has developed and launched various programmes related to special education and also organised one orientation programme and a lecture in the area of disabilityin August 2009.

Educational development of North-East Region (NER) is another focus area. 10% of the annual Plan wasexclusively earmarked to the development of the NER. 9 Regional Centres including 1-new regional centre at Jorhat established exclusively in the North-East Region. One of the significant focus of IGNOU is to pay special attention to disadvantaged sections of the society and regions. A number of programmes are developed targeting women. Special study centres were established in the backward areas and low female literacy districts. While consolidating its ongoing activities, the University undertook new initiatives to further strengthen its setup in the North East Region. Foremost among the initiatives of the university was the decision to establish three new institutes / centres by identifying the type of knowledge and skills necessary for the development of the Region.The University has continuously strived to achieve its objectives by establishing a wider network of Learner Support Centres (LSCs) across the North eastern region and during the year 2009-10, 86LSCs have been established in the North Eastern Region for the various academic programmes of the University. Various orientation programmes for academic counsellors, training programmes for officials and supporting staff and induction programmes for students were conducted during reporting year.

Under the Community College Scheme, Institutions registered with IGNOU are going to offer certificate, diploma and two-year post-secondary education leading to an associate degree. They will be referred to as an IGNOU community college and provide a range of programmes at an affordable cost to students. Under the Scheme as on date 47 Community Colleges are functioning and about 189 programmes have been initiated in these colleges.

A convergence between the Conventional system and the ODL systems through enhanced and optimal utilization of physical facilities, intellectual and knowledge resources was brought about through the launching of the Convergence Scheme on IGNOU’s Foundation Day on November 19th, 2007 with the objective of increasing the GER from the existing 10% to 15% at the end of the Eleventh Plan Period. This Scheme became operational in March, 2008. Under the Scheme as on date 425 reputed colleges and universities in various States have joined hands as Partner Institutions (PIs) and are offering IGNOU programmes to their own regular students as well as to in-service/ working persons, home makers, unemployed persons etc. Thus, expanding the reach of higher education with social inclusivity,presently 37,000 studentshave been enrolled under the scheme.

Distance Education Council and State Open Universities

Distance Education Council (DEC) is the apex body responsible for promotion, coordination and maintenance of standards in the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) system in the country. In pursuance of its objectives, DEC has taken a number of initiatives for providing support to the State Open Universities (SOUs) and Distance Education Institutes (DEIs) of conventional universities, and for the determination of standards in the system. ODL system in the country consists of 14 StateOpenUniversities and over 200 other Distance Education Institutes, which are distance education arm of conventional universities. In pursuance of its objectives, DEC has taken a number of initiatives for providing support to State Open Universities (SOUs) and Distance Educational Institutes (DEIs) of conventional universities, and for the determination of standards in the system. DEC provides financial, academic and technical support to SOUs and DEIs.

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