open letter april

IGNOU OPEN LETTER | APRIL 15, 20112

The 2007 IGNOU scheme of providing University Education opportunities to maximum

number of eligible students by making optimal utilisation of the existing infrastructure

and intellectual capabilities of the best affiliated and autonomous colleges through

the open university and distance education systems proved to be a successful and

sustainable intervention for enhancing the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in higher

education in the country. The “Convergence Scheme”, as we call it, is a partnership

between the nation-wide collegiate education system and the Indira Gandhi National Open

University for sharing academic resources, for enhancing the quality and quantity of

education delivery. During the last three years, 20,798 Graduates and 17,080 Post-

Graduates completed the programmes successfully. The Scheme has an enrollment of over

7,000 learners in the Bachelor’s Preparatory Programme, thus enabling school dropouts

to get back into the mainstream of higher education.

The 480 colleges that participated in the scheme represent the best

in the country. Some of them are Colleges of Excellence identified by

the University Grants Commission. The Colleges lent the services of

about 5,000 teachers without conflict to their regular work. Classrooms,

computer lab, library and laboratory facilities were given to these

additionally admitted students in extra hours on working days and during

weekends and holidays.

The students under this scheme get the complete set of study

material from IGNOU. The College is given freedom to increase the

number of teaching hours depending upon the nature of the course and

the requirements of the students. The students also get a campus feel and fair opportunity

to interact with the regular students and teachers in the college. They also participate in

extra-curricular, social and cultural activities in the college campus. Assessment,

evaluation and result declaration are in the IGNOU Semester-Course-Credit pattern.

The Convergence Scheme has the advantage of availing the best features of the

conventional classroom teaching and the distinct benefits of the Self-learning-centered

Open and Distance Learning (ODL) system. In this context, it is worth noting that in the

preparation of the Self-Instructional Material for the ODL system, the expertise of a large

number of teachers in the conventional, regular mode Universities and colleges is being

used. In such a context, it is all the more relevant that these teachers also get an

opportunity to deliver these educational material to more aspiring students with

appropriate backing of the required classroom teaching, practicals, project work and

significant campus presence. This is a clear case of optimal utilisation of the state-of-the-

art infrastructure and the rich and scarce academic resources for enhancing the quality

and reach of higher education in the country.

The scheme also gives an opportunity for the large number of teachers in our colleges

to get exposed to the Open and Distance Teaching-Learning technologies. When all the

Universities and Colleges get broadband connectivity and other educational technology

facilities through the flagship schemes of the Government, like the National Mission of

Education through Information and Communication Technology (NMEICT) and National

Knowledge Network (NKN), this experience with the ODL Technology-Enabled teaching and

learning acquired through this innovative Convergence Scheme of IGNOU, adds to the much

required ICT capacity-building of teachers.

This scheme proposed by IGNOU in the 11th Plan has been accepted by the Planning

Commission, even though the implementation details are yet to be finalised. Now this

scheme is an exclusive project of the Indira Gandhi National Open University and has been

running successfully for the last three years. Recently, a national-level expert committee

has reviewed the entire scheme in terms of its impact on the Gross Enrollment Ratio,

economic sustainability and quality. The results are really promising. While appreciating

the extra efforts taken by the Principals and Teachers of these Colleges in working

together with IGNOU for the success of this Scheme, I would request the Planning

Commission, MHRD and the State Higher Education Departments to institutionalise this

activity as a major quality intervention in higher education.

6

CONTENTS

‘Raise GER to 30%’

Golden Stars

CONVOCATION

ADDRESS:

Enrollment in higher

education should

expand to 40-45 mn

from the mere 13

mn today, says

Union HRD Minister

Shri Kapil Sibal

RC CONVOCATION........10

CSD INITIATIVES.........13

NEWS UPDATES..........14

REGIONAL UPDATES...15

MILESTONES...............16

GYAN DARSHAN..........16

8 GOLDMEDALLISTS: These

meritorious learners stand

testimony to the impeccable

impact the Open and Distance

Learning mode has had on India’s

education system

IGNOU OPEN LETTER is Printed by Printek

Grafix, 148-D, Pocket-F, GTB Enclave,

Delhi-110093 and Published by Ravi Mohan,

Chief Public Relations Officer, Indira Gandhi

National Open University, Maidan Garhi.

New Delhi 110068. Ph: +91-11-29571000

(30 lines); +91-11-29535924-29

Fax: +91-11-29535933;

E-mail: [email protected]

Managing Editor: Ravi Mohan

Photos: Rajesh Sharma/Amlan Paliwal

Advisory Council:

Prof P.R. Ramanujam,

Dr Latha Pillai

Design and Production:

IANS Publishing (www.ianspublishing.com)

FROMTHE VICE CHANCELLOR

V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai

2-3 Con - vc speak-new:Layout 1 4/30/2011 4:30 PM

IGNOU OPEN LETTER | APRIL 15, 2011 3

22NDCONVOCATION

When the campus was all smiles...

For most learners, convocation

means bidding adieu to the

institution. But things were

different at the 22nd Convocation

ceremony of the Indira Gandhi

National Open University, held at

its Maidan Garhi campus in New

Delhi on April 2.

Holding their head high in

flowing black robes, learners of all

hues — middle-aged executives,

proud degree-holding mothers and

young 20-somethings — remained

every bit true to IGNOU’s mantra

of Age No Bar, Place No Bar, Pace

No Bar and infused great energy

into the otherwise quiet campus.

For most of them, the

Convocation was a step towards

acquiring a higher qualification

from IGNOU.

The University roads, bedecked

with flowers and banners, brilliantly

complemented the sea of students.

The faces of each and every

member of the IGNOU family

appropriately reflected the

ecstatic as well as proud mood in

the University. The mind-boggling

numbers notwithstanding, the

Convocation was testimony to

great planning and execution with

an interactive exhibition, tea and

snacks stalls, and above all the

air-conditioned pandal seating

thousands.

It made for a great

shutterbug moment with the

faculty, gold medallists and

award winners posing for

photographs. The event ended

with lunch for the faculty and a

warm high tea party for the gold

medallists.

They say ‘A perfect end to a

great start’. But at IGNOU, it was

just a sunny beginning leading to an

even more brighter future ahead!�

2-3 Con - vc speak-new:Layout 1 4/30/2011 4:30 PM

4

22nd Convocation

In just four years, IGNOU has, in the

face of stif f competition from both

public and private institutions, almost

trebled the number of students on its

rolls from 1.1 million to about 3.5

million,” emphasised Vice Chancellor

Prof V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai while

inaugurating the University’s 22nd

Convocation Ceremony on April 2.

Addressing a large and diverse

gathering at the University’s Headquarters

in New Delhi and the 51 Regional Centres

that joined the ceremony via video-

conferencing, Prof Pillai said that

flexibility and innovation are the keystones

of IGNOU’s achievements and its

emergence as the world’s largest

university — a fact confirmed by a

Wikipedia listing of 61 top universities in

the world by student enrollment.

“The IGNOU success story has been

made possible due to its huge national

and international reach, wide range of

academic programmes, flexible entry

qualifications, diverse learner groups,

walk-in admissions and examinations,

and modular programmes based on a

credit system, among others,” he said,

while welcoming Chief Guest Shri Kapil

Sibal, Union Minister for Human Resource

Development; Guest of Honour Prof P.T.

Manoharan, eminent scientist and the Sir

C.V. Raman Chair Professor at IGNOU;

Guests of Honour at the 51 Regional

Centres across the country; Pro-Vice

Chancellors; Members of the Board of

Management, Academic Council and the

Planning Board; Directors of the 21

Schools of Study; gold medallists in their

respective fields of study; recipients of

2,15,000 learnersreceived Degrees,Diplomas andCertificates and 78 meritoriousstudents werehonoured with gold medals at the22nd Convocation,organised at theDelhi Headquartersand 51 RegionalCentres

VC Prof. V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai and Guest of Honour Prof. P.T. Manoharan along with Pro-VCs and IGNOU staff at the Convocation Ceremony.

Convocation Day


22nd

P 4-5 COVER STORY:Layout 1 4/30/2011 4:34 PM Page 1

degrees, diplomas and certificates;

IGNOU faculty and mediapersons.

Over 2.15 lakh learners received

Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates at

the 22nd Convocation, telecast live on

Gyan Darshan TV channel and broadcast

by over 30 Gyan Vani radio channels.

While delivering the Convocation

Address via videoconferencing, Sibal said

he has set his sights on increasing the

country’s Gross Enrollment Ratio to

global standards by 2020. “I am setting

sights to raise it to the global average by

2020, which, by then, will be around 30

percent. It will mean that the enrollment

should expand to 40-45 million from the

mere 13 million today,” he said.

Prof Manoharan delivered the Guest of

Honour address and emphasised upon the

importance of science education.

The golden moment came when 78

learners were honoured with gold medals.

Apart from this, six gold medals were

awarded in special categories like Best

Research Paper, Best Service Centre, Best

Overseas Partner Institution, etc.; two cash

awards of `10,000 each (Commonwealth

Educational Media Centre for Asia, or

CEMCA, and the Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

award); Prof. Ram Reddy Memorial Gold

Medal award and Prof. Grover Award (for

the best among the physically-handicapped

meritorious students), were presented by

Prof Manoharan.

Calling the Silver Jubilee Year an

opportunity for introspection on the events

and experiences of the past 25 years of the

existence of IGNOU, the VC said that the

objective now is to consolidate the existing

activities and move towards introducing

new and innovative projects.

“IGNOU’s approach will be to design

learning and training modules, courses

and programmes through which learners

can pay skills providers directly, and

make the knowledge and skill acquired

bankable through testing and

certification, converting them into

diplomas, higher diplomas, associate

degrees and degrees,” Prof Pillai said,

adding that the University continues to

usher in innovative initiatives and

combinations such as Expansion in On-

Campus Programmes; Major Strides

through Community Colleges; Multi-

modal Education Delivery; Vocational

Education and Training; International

Collaborative Programmes in the

Disability Sector; Application of ICTs in

Education and Training; and On-Demand

examinations, among others.

Prof Pillai also highlighted the

activities of the various Schools, Centres,

Divisions, Chairs of Study and Units of the

University. “In the past four years, IGNOU

has been able to reach out to multitudes

of learners because of our ability to forge

unconventional and rewarding alliances.

The University has collaborated with

public and private institutions in

education at the state and national

levels, as well as other sectors such as

technology, health, IT, management and

science. Fruitful collaborations have been

achieved in the social sector as well.

Such collaborations have enabled the

University to optimally use state-of-the-

art facilities available with these

institutions that would have otherwise

remained under-utilised. Collaborations

have enabled the University to reach the

unreached, and take education to the

doorsteps of every learner,” Prof Pillai

remarked.

As part of the initiatives to promote

GER, IGNOU has identified 120 districts

with GER between 3.0 and 7.0 (excluding

8 districts having no higher education

setup), where the University can tap the

prospective learners in the age group of

18-23 (the age group that contributes

towards enhancing GER in higher

education), he added.

In the skill development sector, certain

measures have been suggested. These

are: access and equity to the

stakeholders in general and in the

Educationally Backward Districts (EBD) in

particular; facilitation of an inter face

among academicians and faculties and

the grassroot-level craftspersons and

workers active in EBDs; implementation

of the models of integrated education and

equipping students to face challenges of

the global world, the Vice Chancellor said.

“IGNOU has a key role in creating 500

million certified technicians and skilled

workers by 2020. In this context, 2010-

2020 has been declared as the ‘Decade of

Innovation’ by the Government. IGNOU,

with its country-wide network of Study

Centres, has the greatest potential in the

country to address the issue of skill deficit

in Indian youth,” Prof Pillai concluded.

The University also organised an

exhibition representing 21 Schools of

Study. The highlights of the exhibition

were stalls from various NGOs/partner

institutions.�

5IGNOU OPEN LETTER | APRIL 15, 2011

2,15,000 learners received Degrees,Diplomas and Certificates

44,926 received Bachelor’s Degree

20,775 received Master’s Degree

59,042 received Diplomas

90,618 received Certificates

3 received Doctor of Philosophy Degrees

78 received Gold Medals for toppingtheir respective fields of study

IN FIGURES

HALL OF FAME: Some of the gold

medallists at the Convocation ceremony.

P 4-5 COVER STORY:Layout 1 4/30/2011 4:34 PM Page 2


CONVOCATION

ADDRESS The Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER)

in higher education is presently

hovering at a mere 13 percent in

our country, 10 percent below the

world average. I’m setting sights

to raise it to the global average by 2020,

which, by then, will be around 30 percent.”

“This means that enrollment in higher

education should expand to 40-45 million

from the mere 13 million today,” stressed

Shri Kapil Sibal, Union Minister for Human

Resource Development, while delivering the

Convocation Address at the 22nd

Convocation Ceremony held at the IGNOU

Headquarters in New Delhi on April 2.

How to achieve this mammoth yet

achievable task of 30 percent GER?

“Via ‘Distance Education’. It’s

becoming increasingly popular as

economic forces encourage, and new

technologies facilitate, its spread. The

convergence of communications and

computing technologies is rewriting the

possibilities for distance education, both in

terms of capabilities and cost.”

“Distance education has become popular

because it offers people from rural, working

class communities access to higher

education. We are targeting an enrollment

of at least seven million students, with a

majority from the disadvantaged sections

and locations, in the next few years,” the

Union Minister added.

The “new” demand for higher education

Enrollment inhigher educationshould expand to40-45 million fromthe mere 13 milliontoday, says UnionHRD Minister ShriKapil Sibal in hisConvocationAddress

Hon’ble Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Shri Kapil Sibal, delivering the Convocation Address via videoconferencing.

‘Raise GER to 30%’

P6-7 Sibal:Layout 1 4/30/2011 4:39 PM Page 1

in India has come mainly from two groups

— a “rising” lower-middle class and

women. These sections will continue to

fuel demand for higher education and will

be fighting for more places to provide

quality education, he added.

“Open and Distance Learning must,

apart from access, also provide quality

education, not only in the matter of

academic material, but also in the field of

skill development. Education is not just the

absorption of knowledge. It is important to

create an environment and a framework

through which acquisition of knowledge

and skills go hand in hand, thus

empowering our young men and women to

use that knowledge for productive

activities.”

“If we allow Distance Education to be

used as an effective and alternative tool to

formal education, the horizons of Distance

Education and Open Educational

Resources will expand exponentially,” he

added.

On the use of new technologies in the

ODL system, he said: “We need to invest

much more in these technologies and

develop new teaching methodologies,

which will enable us access to complex

Educational Resources necessary for

enhancing excellence in the field of

Distance Education. The absence of

adequate faculty, both at the tertiary level

can well be compensated not only through

Distance Learning Programmes, but also

through interactive teaching, where

technology is an appropriate enabler.”

Congratulating the graduating class of

the year 2011, Shri Sibal concluded: “Young

minds like you have a great responsibility

on your shoulders. I would like all of you to

see yourself as agents of change for a New

India. The goal of capturing ‘knowledge

leadership’ for India is realisable in your

lifetime. You are graduating at the most

appropriate time for shaping such a

knowledge-driven India. You can make this

dream a reality. To achieve this, you have to

follow a few simple, but profound principles.

That is, never compromise on excellence.

Never give up. And convert every adversity

into opportunity.”�


1. Bansant Kumar, SOSS, Patna2. Shiv Kumar Jha, SOE, Patna3.Sandeep Kumar Pathak, SOCE, Ranchi4.Shyam Sundar Yadav, SOMS, Delhi 15.Puja Sharma, SOMS, Khanna6. Sucharita Parija, SOCIS, Bhubaneswar7. Rajkumar, SOMS, Delhi 18.Alia Hamed Ali, SOH, International9.Wondwosen Dejene Amare, SOSS, International

10.Pushpa Kumari, SOH, Ranchi11.Har Singh, SOSS, Delhi 212.Sheetu Raina, SOSS, Jammu13.Beshir Shemsu Mohammed, SOSS, International14.Mandakini Kumari, SOSS, Ranchi15.Syed Shakeel Ul Rehman, SOSW, Srinagar16.Satnam Singh, SOSS, Jammu17. Mr. Arvind Balasubramanian, SOTHSM, International18.Ramesh Kumar, SOITS, Lucknow19.Amina Nooriya Vayal Parambath, SOH, International 20.Monika Gupta, SOCIS, Delhi 221.Ravpreet Singh, SOMS, Khanna22.Divyadevi, SOE, Hyderabad23.Ujjwal Grover, SOE, Lucknow24.Ruchi Mehta, SOE, Delhi 125.Akansha Gupta, SOTHSSM, Delhi 126.Smriti Sinha, SOSS, Patna27.Vidya Vijay Kadam, SOHS, Pune28.Kalpana Tehlan, SOS, Delhi 129.Shaila Ali, SOSW, Srinagar30.K. Gouri, SOET, Bhubaneswar31.Veera Gloria, SOTHSSM, International32.Khushboo Kapoor, SOJNMS, Jaipur33.S. Harish Kumar, SOEDS, Trivandrum34.Mohamed Fajer B., SOCIS, Cochin35.Shashank Bhushan Singh, SOHS, Bhopal36.Kiran, SOE, Delhi 137. Ishwar Mahadeo Bharti, SOSS, Pune38.Kriti Shrivastava, SOS, Bhopal39.Bishwa Raj Bajracharya, SOMS, International40.Shefalika Ghosh Samaddar, SOITS, Delhi 241.Vishnuchand Zampani, SOHS, Hyderabad42.Dr. Veena Doda, SOHS, Delhi 243.Thilakavathi R., SOMS, Chennai44.Sneha Sayani, SOMS, Hyderabad45.S. Raghavan, SOMS, Bangalore46.Saurabh Aggarwal, SOL, Khanna47.Sanjeev Saxena, SOET, Bhopal48.Rashmi Mishra, SOHS, Delhi 249.B. Pallavi, SOMS, Hyderabad50.Samta Sharma, SOMS, Jaipur51. Gourav Sharma, SOVET, Delhi 152.Pratibha Kumari, SOCE, Darbhanga53.Latha S., SOE, Cochin54.Ajay Prasad, SOVET, Delhi 155.Sarvanand Tukaram, SOSW, Panaji56.Rama Aggarwal, SOTST, Delhi 157.Rakkeeb K., SOJNMS, Cochin58.Nitha K. Thomas, SOVET, Cochin59.Maneesh Venugopal, SOVET, Cochin60.Bhavika Mahendrabhai, SOET, Ahmedabad61.R. Rajasekar, SOET, Delhi 162.Uma Shankar Sharma, SOSW, Aligarh63.Hema V., SOVET, Bangalore64.Narayanan V., SOET, Cochin65.Sandipkumar B. Turakhiya, SOA, Ahmedabad66. Ashok Kumar, SOET, Dehradun67.Dhanalakshmi T., SOCE, Chennai68.Subhash Chand Sharma, SOET, Bangalore69.Vinay S., SOVET, Delhi 170.Rakesh Singh, SOMS, Army71.Shreya Khatri, SOMS, Convergence Unit72. Akshay Kumar, SOA, Aligarh73.Anjli Kaushal, SOHS, Delhi 274.Chanchal Jaggi, SOCE, Khanna75.Raju Saw, SOE, Ranchi76.Dinesh Kumar, SOVET, Delhi 177.Lokesh Kumar Dewangan, SOTHSM, Raipur78.Hari Pal Singh, SOA, Lucknow

Shri Kapil Sibal, Union Minister

for Human Resource Development

(HRD), launching the newly-

designed OpenLetter website

(www.ignou.ac.in/openletter) as

Vice Chancellor Prof. V.N.

Rajasekharan Pillai looks on.

Open Letter, IGNOU’s monthly

newsletter, is the medium through

which the University

communicates with all its

stakeholders — from faculty,

students and administrative staff,

to officials of the HRD Ministry and

other academics and experts who

contribute to IGNOU’s initiatives,

both in India and abroad.

Sibal launches OpenLetter website

Gold Medallists

P6-7 Sibal:Layout 1 4/30/2011 4:39 PM Page 2


MEET IGNOU’S

22NDCONVOCATION

1: Alia Hamed Ali of Jeddah receiving the Gold Medal for topping the Master of Arts (English)

programme.

2: Amina Nooriya from Riyadh receiving the Gold Medal for topping the B.A. (English)

programme.

3: Arvind Balasubramanian of Dubai receiving the Gold Medal for topping the M.A. in Tourism

Management programme.

1

3

2

INTERNATIONAL TALENT


Amidst the sea of successful students who received Degrees, Diplomas and

Certificates at IGNOU’s 22nd Convocation, there were some faces which stood

out. They were easily distinguishable by the glittering gold medals that adorned

their necks. We bring you some meritorious learners who stand testimony to

the impeccable impact the Open and Distance Learning mode has had on India’s

education system.

It’s not new for Alia Hamed Ali of Jeddah. The mother of two has been a recipient of

IGNOU’s gold medal in Bachelor of Arts (English) programme in 2008. This year, she was

rewarded the honour for Master of Arts (English) programme. “After receiving two gold

medals, I am motivated to get a third one. IGNOU has provided immense support to

education, particularly girl education, in Jeddah. Once you have the will and

determination, everything else seems easy,” says Alia.

Amina Nooriya of Riyadh is speechless after being awarded the gold medal for B.A.

(English). “IGNOU’s education is ageless. Anybody can fulfill their dream of completing

higher education at this university,” says Amina.

When Ashok Kumar, a clerk in the Indian Army, marched to the podium to receive

his medal for Diploma in Civil Engineering, he knew that his life has changed. “After

doing this course, I have been promoted to the post of Junior Engineer (Civil) in the

Indian Army. I want to pursue more programmes from IGNOU,” says the 31-year-old.

The success of these students will surely go a long way in conveying to others that

Open Distance Learning has the potential to produce future leaders.�

’S GOLDEN STARS

Army personnel Ashok Kumar receiving the

Gold Medal for topping the Diploma in Civil

Engineering programme.

Armyman Subhash Chand Sharma receiving the Gold Medal for topping

the Diploma in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering programme.

AT THE FRONTLINES


RCs JOIN THE

CELEBRATIONS

22NDCONVOCATION

On April 2, the University’s

Convocation Day, 2,15,000 students

received Degrees, Diplomas and

Certificates at the University

Headquarters in New Delhi and 51 Regional

Centres (RC) across the country, which joined

the ceremony via video-conferencing.

Guest of Honour Prof P.T. Manoharan

presented the Best Regional Centre Award to

representatives from RC Cochin and

RC Shillong.

RC Madurai held the ceremony at KLN

College of Engineering. Around 300 learners

who secured distinction were awarded

degrees by the Guest of Honour Prof S.

Sudalaimuthu, Vice Chancellor, Alagappa

University. In his address, Prof Sudalaimuthu

emphasised on the need for quality distance

education to increase the present

enrollment in the Higher Education sector

from 12 percent to 20 percent by the year

2020. He further informed that IGNOU has

an edge over other institutions by way of

providing technology enabled learning

through various means of Information and

Communication technology.

Dr P.S. Krishnan, Director, Aeronautical

Development Establishment (ADE), Defence

R&D Organisation (DRDO) Ministry of Defence,

Govt. of India, was the Guest of Honour at RC

Bangalore. Over 700 learners collected their

Degrees/Diplomas/ Certificates at the

convocation, held at Kovempu Kalakshetra, BIT

Campus, Bangalore.

RC Srinagar organised the convocation

ceremony at the Government College for

Women, Srinagar. Chief Guest Prof Abdul Wahid

Qureshi, Vice Chancellor, Central University,

Kashmir, said that IGNOU has provided learners

a chance to explore a diverse range of

subjects. He also congratulated Shaila Ali and

Syed Shakeel-ul-Rehaman of Srinagar, who

received Gold Medals at IGNOU Headquarters

in New Delhi. RC Srinagar awarded

Degrees/Diplomas/ Certificates to 1,904

eligible students.

Abdul Gani Malik, Minister for Higher

Education, Labour and Employment, Govt. of

J&K, graced the occasion at RC Jammu. He

lauded the initiative of IGNOU to reach the rural

and tribal areas, low literacy areas, physically

challenged, jail inmates and government and

non-government sectors where education

through conventional system was not

possible for many reasons. A total of

1,167 students were eligible for the award

of Degrees/Diplomas/ Certificates at RC

Jammu.

While addressing the gathering at RC

Nagpur, Chief Guest Dr Vilas Sapkal,

Vice Chancellor, Nagpur University,

said, “Distance education has made a

great impact in our education system.

Internationalisation of education is an

important consideration for every

country.”

In his Convocation Address, Jnanpith

award-winning poet O.N.V. Kurup, who

was the Chief Guest at RC

Thiruvananthapuram, said, “An IGNOU

degree holds greater value, as the

University caters to learners from each and every

part of the country. The purpose of education is

to make one a better human being.

So those who win

IGNOU degrees in

science, technology

or humanities, must

pose better human

values”.

Congratulating the

graduating students at

RC Kohima, Chief

Guest R. Tohanba, Par-

liamentary Secretary

for Information & Public

Relations and Econom-

ics & Statistics, Naga-

land, lauded the efforts of

the IGNOU fraternity for

the achievements made in

the field of Distance Edu-

cation in the country. “Your success will convey

to others that Open Distance Learning has suc-

cessfully equipped you to face the future,” he

told the learners.�

1

3

5


It was a golden opportunity for students

who wanted a genuine career counselling.

The Directors of various schools of IGNOU

were present at the stalls of their schools,

answering students’ queries about career

progression.

Each school, from Humanities to Health

Sciences and Foreign Languages, displayed

its various programmes, and ensured full

faculty presence.

Not just the schools, but some Regional

Centres too participated, and were there to

answer questions. The various Divisions and

Centres were also present in full force. Also on

display were products made by students at

various centres under special initiatives.

Another counter displayed handicrafts work

produced by inmates of Tihar Jail.

EXHIBITION AREA

Har Singh, a student of Master’s in

Library and Information Science

from School of Social Sciences

(SOSS), who received a gold medal, is

working as a Semi-Professional Assis-

tant (SPA) at IGNOU’s Chandigarh Re-

gional Centre. “Joining IGNOU

completely changed my life. I earned

Certificate in ICT from School of Com-

puter and Information Sciences before

joining the Bachelor’s Programme in

Library and Information Science from

SOSS. IGNOU course material also

helped me clear UGC-NET exam in the

first attempt.” Singh told OpenLetter.

‘IGNOU CHANGED MY LIFE’

1: A learner receiving a degree from Prof. S. Sudalaimuthu, ViceChancellor, Alagappa University, at the Convocation Ceremony held atRC Madurai. 2: A learner receiving a degree from Prof. A. Lakshminath, ViceChancellor, Chanakya National Law University, Patna, at theConvocation Ceremony held at RC Patna.3: Learners watching the Convocation Address by Chief Guest Shri Kapil Sibal, Union Minister for Human Resource Development,at RC Madurai. 4: Abdul Gani Malik, Minister for Higher Education, Labour andEmployment, Govt. of J&K, with learners at Regional Centre Jammu.5: Prof. Devang V. Khakhar, Director, IIT-Mumbai, delivering thekeynote address at the Convocation Ceremony at RC Mumbai.

2

4


THE ACHIEVERS

22NDCONVOCATION

Where there is a will, there is a way. Five learners proved this saying by winning themost prestigious awards at the Convocation Ceremony, thus proving that IGNOU, withits unique blend of ODL and On-Campus modes of education, is quenching the thirst ofknowledge of thousands of students across the country, as well as abroad

Mohammad Saderuddin (left), an M.Com. student from Kolkata, and Love Ashish Sharma from Delhi, receiving the ‘Prof. Grover Cash Award for the BestAmong the Differently-Abled Meritorious Students.’ “IGNOU has made life so much simpler for someone like me, who cannot attend regular classes. I cannow consider myself a part of the mainstream of society,” says Saderuddin, who now plans to pursue a Ph.D. from IGNOU.

Shaila Ali from Srinagar receiving the Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam CashAward of `10,000 for the ‘Best Student in Bachelor's in Social WorkProgramme.’

Sucharita Parija fromBhubaneswar receiving theCEMCA Cash Award of `10,000 for the ‘Best Female Student in any Degree Programme Related to Information andCommunication Technology.’

Satnam Singh from Jammu receiving the ‘Prof Ram Reddy Memorial Medal Award’ for

highest aggregate marks in any Master's DegreeProgramme in Social Sciences.

P-12-13:Layout 1 4/30/2011 6:03 PM Page 1

An out-of-the-box thinking, like

redirecting city sewer lines to a

treatment plant first and then let it

mix with the river water, can save

the Ganges from extensive pollution.

These concerned words came from

Dr D. Purandeswari, Minister of State for

Human Resource Development, while

launching the online ‘Appreciation

Programme on Sustainable Management of

Ganga — A Scientific Approach’ at the

University campus in New Delhi on April 1.

“Sustainability of the Ganga is something

that not even a single citizen is unaware of.

We are fortunate to contribute in the

government’s activity of Ganga Action Plan

and launch this online programme for

increasing the awareness,” said VC Prof V.N.

Rajasekharan Pillai.

“The industrial waste, waste water

emanating from slums, religious mass

bathings and an indiscriminate use of

fertilisers are behind the pollution rise in

Ganga river,” Dr Purandeswari added.

“The Appreciation Programme would help

develop major, inter-disciplinary activities of

national relevance. This programme would

strengthen the ongoing government

supported research programmes, activities

of NGOs, industry and professional societies

and the implementing agencies,” said

Dr Manju Sharma, former secretary,

Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India.

“We should take services of NSS

volunteers and universities situated along

the banks of the river for its ecological

development. The ‘Sustainability Audit’

Programme aims to teach the learners an

audit system to maintain the green,”

emphasised Prof M.S. Swaminathan,

eminent agricultural scientist.�


CSDINITIATIVES

The School of Extension and

Development Studies (SOEDS) and

Chair for Sustainable Development

(CSD), IGNOU, have launched an

online Leadership Programme on Himalayan

Ecosystems (LPHECO) for scientists and

policymakers working in the areas of

agriculture, rural development, environmental

science and sustainable development.

While launching the programme, Dr Karan

Singh, Member of Parliament, emphasised on

the spiritual, ecological and environmental

aspects of the Himalayas. “Unless there is

involvement from Nepal, Bhutan, China, state

governments of the Indian Himalayan region

and Panchayati Raj institutions, there will be

no concrete step taken towards the

conservation of the Himalayas,” he said.

Vice Chancellor Prof V.N. Rajasekharan

Pillai said, “These programmes should aim

at advancing scientific knowledge, evolving

integrated management strategies,

demonstrating their efficacy for

conservation of natural resources and

ensuring environmentally-sound development

in the entire Indian Himalayan Region.”

Noted agricultural scientist and CSD

Chair Professor at IGNOU, Prof M.S.

Swaminathan, underlined the key role that

leadership from young scholars could play in

saving the Himalayas and subsequently

transforming them from ‘Bleeding

Himalayas’ to ‘Greening Himalayas’.

The duration of the programme is

minimum one month and maximum six

months. Admissions will be available

throughout the year.�

VC Prof. Pillai, Dr. Karan Singh and Prof. M.S. Swaminathan at the launch of the programme.

The CSD has entered into a pact

with the Salim Ali Centre for

Ornithology and Natural History

(SACON), an organisation under the

Ministry of Environment and Forests,

to offer programmes in Environmental

Impact Assessment and Ornithology.

MOU WITH SACON

CSD Programme on resurrecting Ganges

Dr. D. Purandeswari, MoS for Human Resource Development, launching the Appreciation Programme.

For more details about the CSD programmes, log on to www.ignou.ac.in

‘Make bleeding Himalayas green’

P-12-13:Layout 1 4/30/2011 6:03 PM Page 2

Shri Kapil Sibal, Union Minister for Human Resource

Development, launched IGNOU-Intel online Teach

Programme titled ‘Empowering Educators to Innovate’ at

the University’s 22nd Convocation Ceremony on April 2.

The Programme is an initiative of the Sir C.V. Raman Chair for

Science Education, headed by Prof. P.T. Manoharan.

“This IGNOU-Intel collaboration will create new models of

teaching and learning in areas other than science and maths,

and help upgrade our capabilities,” said VC Prof V.N.


The objectives of the programme are to create student

interest and enhance science learning in secondary schools by

sharing innovative ICT integration usage models under Intel

Teach; conduct capacity-building workshops for principals and

teachers using relevant technology tools; support science and

maths teachers in integrating ICT into teaching strategies using

various Intel Teach curriculum assets; and promote and nurture

an aptitude for scientific research amongst the students of

selected schools by guiding them to create innovative science

projects and providing them with a platform to compete at

national and international events, like IRIS National Fair and the

Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF).


NEWSUPDATES

The Department of Information

Technology (DIT), Ministry of

Communications and Information

Technology, Govt. of India, has

constituted a Working Group on IT Mass

Literacy Programme under the chairmanship of

Vice Chancellor Prof V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai.

The Group has commenced its work by

launching a website on IT Mass Literacy

Programme. A link to the website has been

provided on the IGNOU website. This website

is envisaged to come out as a complete

portal on the Programme for certification

and feedback, and even to ascertain if a

person is an e-literate.

The objective of the website is to bring

together all institutes/universities/

corporates/colleges offering IT

programmes on one platform in order to

generate statistics about IT literates.

As per the Letter No. 1(7)/2010-HRD

from the Ministry of Communications and

Information Technology, Department of

Information Technology (Human Resource

Development Division), Government of India

and the recommendations of the Standing

Committee of Parliament for Department of

IT, the website on IT Mass Literacy has

been launched to maintain the data with

regard to literacy rate in computers.

There are many individuals who probably

do not have a certification, but know how to

work with the IT facilities at basic level for

information interchange or for their

knowledge enhancement. Hence, there is a

need to define standards, so that a person

bearing specific knowledge with some

experience in IT applications can be called a

certified IT professional for basic level.

IGNOU offers a number of programmes

related to IT such as Certificate in

Information Technology (CIT), Computer

Literacy Programme (CLP), Certificate in PC

Hardware and Networking (CPHN).

The University also offers digital learning

activities at www.IgnouOnline.ac.in, a one

stop window catering to the learning needs

of IGNOU learner community. eGyanKosh is

the digital repository of programme-based

learning content available in text and video

formats. The EDUSAT Virtual Class provides

links to all the online programmes of

the University.�

IT Mass Literacy Programme website launched

Learners during a STRIDE workshop on e-literacy at IGNOU.

‘Empowering Educators to Innovate’

Prof. P.T. Manoharan, Sir C.V. Raman Chair Professor, and VC Prof. Pillai releasing the IGNOU-Intel brochure at the 22nd Convocation.

P-14-15-RC:Layout 1 4/30/2011 5:19 PM Page 1


REGIONALUPDATES FIRSTPERSON

‘A dream come true’

With an extremely poor family

background and a tag of a

school dropout, Tamil Selvi,

an 18-year-old

girl, was forced to become a

housemaid. Tamil, whose

mother works as a maid and

brother is a coolie, never

thought of a life beyond the

regular domestic chores, until

her employer spotted an

advertisement in a

newspaper — ‘RMD

IGNOU COMMUNITY

COLLEGE’.

The RMD IGNOU

Community College

provides flexible training

programmes in Palliative

Care Health Assistant.

Despite her monitory

challenges and poor

background, the

Principal agreed to find

sponsors and Tamil got

enrolled in the

programme.

She successfully completed programme

and got a job in a tertiary hospital. Today,

Tamil’s joy knows no boundaries as she

has been chosen as the team leader for

palliative care service in the hospital.

“Here I am! I received my certificate

with tears in my eyes. I am worthy now

and can support my family with

my salary. Thanks to RMD

IGNOU Community College’s

Palliative Care training, I feel

unique. It is a dream come true

for me,” says an ecstatic Tamil.

“My confidence has gone up

as I have a job in hand now. I feel

special being a Palliative

Care Health Assistant.

IGNOU has provided me

with the satisfaction of

helping the people who

have gone beyond curative

stages such as patients

suffering from cancer and

other advanced diseases

and terminal illness. Most

importantly, I have gained

respect, knowledge and

earning in spite of being a

school dropout and

belonging to a poor

family,” she adds.

IGNOU runs the RMD IGNOU

Community College in collaboration with

the RMD Pain & Palliative Care Trust in

Chennai.�

While working in England aboard a Cruise

liner a decade ago, I used to meet a lot of

people who had completed their studies

from Community Colleges and would wonder what

exactly it was, as at that time, the concept was

almost unheard of in India. On returning to India and

working in the hospitality sector, I found that most

hotels and restaurants in our country suffered from

a dearth of skilled manpower, primarily because

youngsters from the lower strata of society were

unable to afford the prohibitive costs of a mainstream

hotel management education. It was then that I

began to seriously wonder how we could launch the

community college concept in India and so, it was a

definite delight when I found out that IGNOU had

launched the Community College Scheme.

Having been fortunate enough to partner our

college with IGNOU in this venture, my personal

experience has been that when I explain the details

and benefits of the Community Colleges to

prospective students and their parents, there is a great

acceptance of it. They too realise that the students are

a lucky lot and within no time, are converted into

‘believers’, so to speak, in this system of education. It

is indeed a privilege for us at St. Mary’s Community

College, Bangalore, to be associated with IGNOU.

— GREGORY LOBO, CHAIRMAN,

ST. MARY’S COMMUNITY COLLEGE,

BANGALORE

‘Community Colleges convert

students into believers’

“My confidence has

gone up and I feel

worthy now. Most

importantly, I have

gained respect,

knowledge and

earning in spite of

being a school dropout

and belonging to a

poor family. ”— Tamil Selvi, a learner

63rd Regional Centre opens in Visakhapatnam

IGNOU launched its 63rd Regional

Centre in Visakhapatnam on March 29.

The new RC was inaugurated by

Minister of State for Human Resource

Development Dr D. Purandeswari in the

presence of Vice Chancellor Prof V.N.


“The distance mode of education would

help the poor to acquire skills and also

increase the overall literacy rate in the

country,” Dr Purandeswari said.

The Minister also requested Prof Pillai to

set up a zonal office of IGNOU at Hyderabad.

Others present at the event included

Vizag Mayor Pulusu Janardhana Rao;

Dr B.S. Sudhindra, Director, Regional

Services Division; Dr M. Krishnaiah,

Regional Director, RC Vijayawada; and

Ward Corporator P. Vijay Chander.� MoS for HRD Dr. D. Purandeswari inaugurating the Visakhapatnam Regional Centre on March 29.

P-14-15-RC:Layout 1 4/30/2011 5:19 PM Page 2


MILESTONESONCAMPUS

Nautical Sciences

February, 2004: IGNOU inks MoU with the

Directorate General of Shipping for launching

Bachelor’s Programme in Nautical Sciences.

� IGNOU collaborates with the National Trust

for Welfare of Persons with Autism,

Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and

Multiple Disabilities.

March, 2004: IGNOU signs MoC with Tamil

Virtual University for the establishment of a

virtual university and further dissemination

of knowledge.

April, 2004: The South Asia Foundation (SAF)-

Madanjeet Singh Scholarships are launched. SAF

allocates 6,000 scholarships in total, of which

3,000 scholarships are for IGNOU students.

July, 2004: IGNOU partners with the World

Intellectual Property Rights Organisation for

studies in the area of Intellectual Property Rights.

SAF Scholarships

Upcoming Events

HIGHLIGHTS APRIL-MAY 2011

Photosynthesis is a

process that converts

carbon dioxide

into organic

compounds,

especially sug-

ars, using the

energy from

sunlight. Photosynthe-

sis occurs in plants,

algae, and many

species of bacteria.

A Thangka is a

Tibetan silk

painting with

embroidery,

usually depict-

ing a Buddhist

deity, famous scene, or

mandala of some sort.

To Buddhists these

Tibetan religious paint-

ings offer a beautiful

manifest.

Stress Management is

the amelioration of stress

and chronic

stress often

for the pur-

pose of

improving

everyday func-

tioning. Stress produces

symptoms which vary ac-

cording to persons, situa-

tions, and severity.

An estuary is a partly en-

closed coastal body of

water with one or more

rivers flowing into it. They

are a dynamic ecosystem

with a connection to the

open sea

through which

the water en-

ters accordingly

to the rhythm

of the tides.

Ustad Iqbal

Ahmed Khan

is an advo-

cate of Hazrat

Amir Khusro’s

tradition of In-

dian music. A custodian

of the Delhi gharana, he is

well known for his versa-

tile singing ability, and is

also regarded as a cham-

pion of Indian music.

Floriculture: Ornamental Plants Floriculture, or flower farming, is a discipline of horticulture

concerned with the cultivation of flowering and ornamental

plants for gardens and for floristry. The development of new

varieties is a major occupation of floriculturists

The Sarus Crane The Sarus Crane is a non-migratory crane found in parts of

the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia and Australia. The

tallest of the flying birds, standing at a height of up to 1.8 m

they are conspicuous and iconic species of open wetlands.

Thangka: The Holy

Art of Tibet

Stress Management:

Sinusitis

Estuaries - As

Marine Ecosystem

Ek mulaqat: Iqbal

Ahmed Khan Se

The Process of

Photosynthesis

GYANDARSHAN

1. IGNITE 2011 -- May 10 and May 12,

Chandigarh and Jammu: Indira Gandhi

National Open University will organise

IGNITE 2011, a multi-city, inter-school quiz

contest, in Chandigarh on May 10 and

Jammu on May 12.

For a complete schedule, log on to www.ignou.ac.in

IGNOU celebrates

Ambedkar Jayanti

Dr B.R. Ambedkar Chair on Social

Change and Development, IGNOU,

marked Babasaheb Ambedkar’s birth

anniversary on April 13 with a special

lecture by Planning Commission member

Dr Syeda Hameed and a sufi qawwali

performance by Niyazi brothers.

In her lecture, held at the IGNOU

Convention Centre, Dr Hameed threw light

on Dr Ambedkar’s observation about

“equality in political life and inequality in

social and economic life.”

The Sufi qawwali performance paid

tribute to Dr Ambedkar’s ideals of

secularism and community.�

M. Damodaran appointed

BSE Chair Professor

Independent man-agement consult-

ant Meleveetil

Damodaran has

been appointed the

Honorary Chair Pro-

fessor of BSE Chair

at IGNOU. He will

be guiding the Uni-

versity’s Advanced

Research in Finan-

cial Markets.

An IAS officer from the Manipur-Tripura

cadre, Damodaran headed the Security

and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) from

February 18, 2005 to February 18, 2008.

Damodaran worked as Joint Secretary

in the Ministry of Finance, Banking

Division, for five years, dealing with

Government’s ownership functions of

Public Sector Banks and being

its inter face with Reserve Bank of

India (RBI).

He also headed the Unit Trust of India

and IDBI Bank. Both at IDBI Bank and UTI

AMC, Damodaran won accolades for

successfully bringing out the organisations

from the brink of collapse.�

Niyazi brothers and their group performing at

the IGNOU Convention Centre on April 13. M. Damodaran.

P-16 Backcover:Layout 1 4/30/2011 5:38 PM Page 1

open letter april

Documents