Indira Gandhi National Open University

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Indira Gandhi National Open University
Motto: "Education for All"
Established: 1985
Type: National (Public), Open
Vice-Chancellor: Prof. V. N. Rajasekharan Pillai

Pro Vice Chancellors

Prof Om Prakash Mishra
Prof Parvin Sinclair
Dr D K Chaudhary
Dr Basir Ahmed Khan

Dr Lata Pillai
Visitor: Prathibha Devisingh Patil
President of India
Faculty: 325
Staff: 1,462 (incl. Faculty)
Students: 1.8 million[1]
Postgraduates: 539,494 (2005)
Location: Maidan Garhi, New Delhi, Delhi, India
Programs: 125
Affiliations: COL
NAAC
UGC
Website: www.ignou.ac.in

The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Hindi: इन्दिरा गांधी राष्ट्रीय मुक्त विश्वविद्यालय is a national university with its headquarters in New Delhi, Delhi, India. Named after former Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, the university was established in 1985 when the Parliament of India passed the Indira Gandhi National Open University Act, 1985 (IGNOU Act 1985) [2].

IGNOU, one of the largest universities in the world [3]; was founded to impart education by means of distance and open education, provide higher education opportunities particularly to the disadvantaged segments of society, to encourage, coordinate and set standards for distance and open education in India and strengthen the human resources of India through education [4]. Apart from teaching and research, extension and training form the mainstay of its academic activities. It also acts as a national resource centre, and serves to promote and maintain standards of distance education in India. IGNOU hosts the Secretariats of the SAARC Consortium on Open and Distance Learning (SACODiL) and the Global Mega Universities Network (GMUNET) initially supported by UNESCO.

Contents

[edit] History

In 1970 (International Education Year), the Ministry of Education and Social Welfare in collaboration with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the UGC and the Indian National Commission for cooperation with UNESCO, organised a seminar on `Open University'. The seminar recommended the establishment of an open university in India on an experimental basis. The Government of India appointed eight member working group on Open University in 1974. The leading role was given to G. Parthasarathi, the then Vice-Chancellor of the Jawaharlal Nehru University.

The working group had recommended establishing an Open University by an act of parliament as early as possible. The university should have jurisdiction over the entire country so that, when it is fully developed, any student even in the remotest corner of the country can have access to its instruction and degrees (Working Group Report, 1974).

The working group suggested several measures to be followed in instructional and management processes of the open university which include: admission procedure, age relaxation, preparation of reading materials, setting up of core group scholars in different fields, setting up of study centres, vehicle of curricular programmes, live contact with teachers, and so on. On the basis of the recommendations of the working group, the Union Government prepared a draft bill for the establishment of a National Open University, but due to some reasons the progress was delayed.

In 1985 the Union Government made a policy statement for establishment of a national open university. A Committee was constituted by the Ministry of Education to chalk out the plan of action of the national Open University. On the basis of the report of the Committee, the Union Government introduced a Bill in the Parliament. In August 1985, both the Houses of the Parliament passed the Bill. Subsequently, the National Open University came into existence on September 20, 1985. It was named after late Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi. The Indira Gandhi National Open University (established by the Act of Parliament) is responsible for introducing and promoting distance education at the university level, and for coordinating, determining and maintaining standards in such systems functioning in the country.

In 1989, the first Convocation was held and more than 1,000 students graduated and were awarded their diplomas. IGNOU audio-video courses were first broadcasted by radio and television in 1990 and IGNOU awarded degrees received full recognition by the University Grants Commission in 1992 as being equivalent to those of other universities in the country [5].

In 1999, IGNOU launched the first virtual campus in India [6], beginning with the delivery of Computer and Information Sciences courses via the Internet.

[edit] Schools

IGNOU currently serves approximately 1.4 million students in India and 35 countries abroad in eleven schools and a network of 58 regional centres, 7 sub-regional centres, 1400 study centres, and 41 overseas centres. Approximately 10% of all students enrolled in higher education in India are enrolled with IGNOU [7]. IGNOU offers 125 academic programs comprising 1100 courses at certificate, diploma and degree levels. In addition, a number of non-accredited extension and skill-oriented programmes are on offer through the twenty-one Schools:

  • 1. School of Humanities
  • 2. School of Social Sciences
  • 3. School of Sciences
  • 4. School of Education
  • 5. School of Continuing Education
  • 6. School of Engineering & Technology
  • 7. School of Management Studies
  • 8. School of Health Sciences
  • 9. School of Computer & Information Sciences
  • 10. School of Agriculture
  • 11. School of Law
  • 12. School of Journalism and New Media Studies
  • 13. School of Gender and Development Studies
  • 14. School of Tourism Hospitality Service Sectoral Management
  • 15. School of Interdisciplinary and Trans-disciplinary Studies
  • 16. School of Social Work
  • 17. School of Vocational Education and Training
  • 18. School of Extension and Development Studies
  • 19. School of Foreign Languages
  • 20. School of Translation Studies and Training
  • 21. School of Performing and Visual Arts


[edit] Divisions

The Indira Gandhi National Open University has the following Eleven Divisions to take care of various activities.

  • Academic and Coordination Division
  • Administrative Division
  • Construction and Maintenance
  • Computer Division
  • Finance and Accounts Division
  • International Division
  • Library and Documentation Division
  • Material Production and Distribution
  • Planning and Development Division
  • Regional Services Division
  • Student Registration and Evaluation

[edit] Institutes, cells, centers, and consortia

  • Distance Education Council
  • Electronic Media Production Center
  • National Centre for Innovations in Distance Education
  • Inter-University Consortium For Technology-Enabled Flexible Education & Development
  • Centre for Extension Education
  • Staff Training and Research Institute of Distance Education
  • National Council for Differently Abled
  • Public Information Unit
  • Hindi Cell
  • Legal Cell
  • SC/ST
  • Vigilance Cell
  • Horticulture Cell

[edit] Accreditation & Recognition

IGNOU is granted the authority to confer degrees by Clause 5(1)(iii) of the IGNOU Act 1985. IGNOU is also recognised as a Central University by the University Grants Commission of India [8]. The Association of Indian Universities (AIU) recognises IGNOU conferred degrees as on par with the degrees conferred by its members [9] [10] and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) recognises the Master of Computer Applications and Master of Business Administration program of IGNOU [11].

In 1993, IGNOU was designated by the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) as its first Centre of Excellence for Distance Education empowered "to actively participate in Commonwealth co-operative endeavours to identify, nurture, and strengthen open learning institutions throughout the Commonwealth, particularly in the Third World .." [12].

IGNOU also operates as an accreditor for open university and distance education systems in India through the Distance Education Council (DEC). Authority to do so is granted under Clause 16 and Statute 28 of the IGNOU Act 1985 [13].

[edit] Convocations in the Past

Convocation Held On Chief Guest Designation Honoris Cuasa Awarded Number of Degrees/ Diplomas/ Certificates/ Awarded
Ist 21.02.1989 Sh. Rajiv Gandhi Prime Minister Dr. Shridath S. Ramphal, Secretary General, COL 1171
IInd 27.04.1991 Dr. S. D. Sharma Vice President 3807
IIIrd 25.04.1992 Sh. Arjun Singh Minister for Human Resource Development 4907
IVth 05.05.1993 Sh. R. Venkataraman Former President of India Prof. G. Ram Reddy, Former VC of IGNOU 4444
Vth 16.04.1994 Prof. James A Maraj President of COL Prof. James A Maraj, President of COL 7580
VIth 06.05.1995 Sh. Madhav Rao Scindia Ministry for Human Resource Development 9246
VIIth 11.05.1996 Justice R.N. Mishra Chairman, National Human Rights Commission 12301
VIIIth 08.03.1997 Prof. Madhu Dandavate Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission 16149
IXth 07.03.1998 Sh. Krishna Kanth Vice President 25080
Xth 14.03.1999 Dr. Karan Singh Member of Parliament Ms. Mahasweta Devi, Eminent Writer & Social Worker 33119
XIth 04.03.2000 Sh. K. C. Pant Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Prof. V. C. Kulandaiswamy, Former VC of IGNOU 53328
XIIth 03.03.2001 Prof. M. G. K. Menon Eminent Scientist 62369
XIIIth 21.03.2002 Prof. Murali Manohar Joshi Minister for Human Resource Development 78074
XIVth 22.02.2003 Sir John Daniel Assistant Director General, UNESCO and Former VC of UKOU * Sir John Daniel
  • Dr. K. Kasturirangan, Chairman, ISRO
 81931
XVth 21.02.2004 Dr. K. Kasturirangan Former Chairman, ISRO and Former Secretary Department of Space, Government of India, Member of Rajya Sabha *Field Marshal S. H. F. J. Manekshaw
  • H. H. Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al-Khalifa
 74603
XVIth 05.03.2005 His Excellency, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam President of India * Kamal Idris, Director General, World Intellectual Property Organisation(WIPO), Geneva
  • Dr. G. Madhavan Nair, Chairman, ISRO
 71298
XVIIth 18.02.2006 Dr. Anil Kakodkar Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy, Govt. of India Sh. N.R. Narayana Murthy, Chairman, Infosys 75174
XVIIIth 17.03.2007 Hon'ble Justice K. G. Balakrishnan Chief Justice of India Prof. M. S. Swaminathan, Renowned Agricultural Scientist 111699
XIXth 16.02.2008 Dr. Hamid Ansari Hon'ble Vice- President, Republic of India

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Profile 2 (Final)English 1-13.pmd
  2. ^ Dept of Education, India: The Indira Gandhi National Open University Act, 1985 (Act No. 50 of 1985) (URL last accessed on April 29, 2007)
  3. ^ World Intellectual Property Organization: Indian University Honors WIPO Director General (URL last accessed on April 29, 2007)
  4. ^ IGNOU Website: Objectives (URL last accessed on April 29, 2007)
  5. ^ IGNOU Website: Milestones (URL last accessed on April 29, 2007)
  6. ^ Newsbytes: IGNOU Launches First Virtual University in India, July 6, 1999 (URL last accessed on April 29, 2007)
  7. ^ IGNOU Website: IGNOU - A Brief Profile (URL last accessed on April 29, 2007)
  8. ^ UGC Website: Universities Directory - Indira Gandhi National Open University (URL last accessed on April 29, 2007)
  9. ^ UGC: UGC Circular No. F1-52/2000 (CPP-II), May 5, 2004
  10. ^ AIU: AIU Circular No. EV/B(449)/94/176915-177115,January 14, 1994
  11. ^ AICTE: AICTE/Academic/MOU-DEC/2005, May 13, 2005 [1]
  12. ^ COL Website: IGNOU named "Centre of Excellence", COMLEARN, October 1993 (URL last accessed on April 29, 2007)
  13. ^ DEC Website: Statutory Authority
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[edit] External links

Coordinates: 28.2940° N 77.1213° E

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