open letter february 2010

IGNOU OPEN LETTER | FEBRUARY 15, 20102

The Open University and Distance Education Systems all over the worldsupport extensive research portfolios and front-ranking researchcommunities. This is done through quality in-house research and effective

networking and collaborations with renowned research institutes. The IndiraGandhi National Open University Act, in the First Schedule, under the objects ofthe University, inter alia, provides for the promotion of “Acquisition of knowledgein a rapidly developing and changing society and to continually offeropportunities for upgrading knowledge in the context of innovations, researchand discovery in all fields of human endeavours”. The various schemes of IGNOUand the Distance Education Council (DEC) have contributed to the emergence ofthe University as a world leader in systemicresearch in the area of Open and Distance Learning(ODL) Pedagogy. These include minor and majorresearch schemes, study leave for staff toundertake research at the doctoral and post-doctoral levels, sabbatical leave, facilitation ofparticipation in national and international researchconferences, the setting up of special institutes likethe Staff Training and Research in DistanceEducation (STRIDE), the National Centre forInnovations in Distance Education (NCIDE), theNational Centre for Disability Studies (NCDS), theChair for Sustainable Development, the Researchand Teaching Assistantship (RTA) scheme for highly meritorious full-time post-graduates and the setting up of the statutory Research Council and theResearch Unit. Introduced in 2008, the RTA scheme has attracted a large number of

extremely bright and meritorious post-graduates to undertake full-time doctoralresearch, leading to Ph.D. degrees in their own domain areas, along withmandatory training in ODL technologies in the related subject. Most rigorousand globally acceptable quality assurance mechanisms like publication of atleast one original research paper in a peer-reviewed and high-impact journal,participation and presentation in research conferences, course works anddevelopment of a technology-enabled teaching module are prerequisites forsubmission of Ph.D. thesis under this scheme. This innovative scheme will helpin the creation of a pool of talented researchers with nurtured aptitude andcapabilities for teaching at the University level.While higher education establishments and governments focus on Ph.D.

programmes, there is also great concern and apprehension about the poorquality of the M.Phil. and Ph.D. programmes offered in large numbers by someinstitutions misusing the autonomy and the concept of distance education. Strictenforcement of quality criteria, following international benchmarks in research,is the only way to curb such undesirable practices. Quality research of highimpact happening in renowned Open University and Distance Education Systemsshould be supported and encouraged to set national benchmarks in this area.We cannot afford to take a stand that the Open University and DistanceEducation System will not be able to provide the facilities and ambience for highquality research. State-of-the-art research laboratories, even in sophisticatedscience and technology areas, are available in the Open University System. Many Open Universities in the world, like the UK Open University, the Open

University of Netherlands and Hong Kong Open University, support extensivedoctoral and post-doctoral research. They have excellent research portfoliosand vibrant research communities which are enhanced through collaborationswith top-ranking research institutions worldwide. In addition to the key-discipline-based research units, they have established highly relevant majorcross-disciplinary research establishments. In fact, the UK Open University isnot only No. 1 in the mandatory Annual Student Satisfaction Survey there, italso ranks very high in the mandatory Research Assessment Exercise (RAE).IGNOU is proud of the fact that its systemic research feeds directly into thecontent of its world-leading teaching programmes. The University is committedto utilise its large pool of academics with extensive research experience totrain young researchers, in both systemic research and discipline-basedresearch of the highest quality. Achieving high levels of research performance in discipline-based research

as well as in systemic research is the target of IGNOU in this Decade ofInnovation.

4

CONTENTS

Breaking the Shackles

Empowering Women

IN FOCUS: Prisonerswelcome the ‘free

education’ initiative byIGNOU that could helpthem return to themainstream of life

empowered with qualityeducation

NEWS SCAN ................07

PASSING BY ................07

SJ LECTURES ..............10

NEWS UPDATE ............11

REGIONAL ROUNDUP...12

STUDENTS’ CORNER....12

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

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

8 SPOTLIGHT: More and more states are willing to emulate the IGNOU initiative for the anganwadiworkers in Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh

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: +91-11-29535924-32; +91-11-29535062-65

Fax: +91-11-29535933; E-mail: [email protected]

Managing Editor: Ravi MohanEditor: Surojit Mahalanobis

Advisory Council:Prof P.R. Ramanujam, Prof Ramindar Singh

Design and Production: IANS Publishing

www.ianspublishing.com

FROMthe vice chancellor

V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai

IGNOU is the world’s largestuniversity, with its studentoutreach extending to 30 lakh,

UNESCO has said. “IGNOU is thelargest University in the world.Almost 30 lakh students in India and33 other countries study at IGNOU,which is also India’s NationalResource Center for Open andDistance Learning and a world leaderin distance education.” “Enrollments of nearly 30 lakh

students and networks across the country making the best use of Information CommunicationTechnology (ICT) — IGNOU’saccomplishments are recognisedworldwide,” UNESCO Director-GeneralIrina G. Bokova said at a posting onthe UNESCO website. “With the launch of EduSat (a

satellite dedicated to education) in 2004,and the establishment of the Inter-University Consortium, IGNOU hasushered in a new era of technology-enabled education,” she added.Delivering the Silver Jubilee Lecture

titled ‘Building Inclusive Knowledge

Societies in a Globalised World’ at theUniversity’s campus on January 11, theDirector-General said, “We cannot thinkabout... inclusive globalisation withouteducation that is relevant to the world oftoday and accessible throughout life.”While in India, she also met with Kapil

Sibal, Minister of HRD and Chairperson of

the Indian National Commission forUNESCO; S.M. Krishna, Union Minister of External Affairs; and Dr Karan Singh,India’s Representative on UNESCO’sExecutive Board. The Director-General also visited IT

companies in Bangalore involved in ICTfor education.�

IGNOU, UNESCOin adult educationI

GNOU has launched a PG diploma

programme, Participatory Adult

Learning Documentation and

Information Networking (PGDAE), in

adult education. The programme, in

collaboration with UNESCO and the

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), aims

at promoting professional development

in the area of adult education, with a

focus on participatory adult learning,

documentation and information

networking. The fee is Rs 5,000.

Admissions are open for the July 2010

session and last date for submission of

applications is April 30, 2010.

IGNOU OPEN LETTER | FEBRUARY 15, 2010 3

IGNOU world’s largest university: UNESCO

The University’s Electronic MediaProduction Centre (EMPC) haslaunched six new FM radio stations

on education. These will be in addition to the 31 radio stations the Universityalready operates.The six new Gyan Vani stations,

launched by Minister of State forInformation and Broadcasting, ChoudhuryMohan Jatua, in New Delhi on February10, will be operational in Agra,Chandigarh, Jalandhar, Srinagar,Tiruchirapalli and Thiruvananthapuram. The FM radio stations aim to enhance

and supplement the teaching-learningprocess by reaching out to learnersthrough a low-cost, popular mass mediumusing interactive formats. Vice Chancellor V.N. Rajasekharan

Pillai said: “Through Gyan Vani, studentscan call a toll-free number and getcounselled on different educationalmatters from experts of the NationalCouncil of Education, Research andTraining and NGOs working in the field.”

The EMPC also celebrated a decade ofthe launch of its educational TV channel,Gyan Darshan, on the occasion.A collaborative effort of IGNOU, Prasar

Bharati, the Ministry of Human ResourceDevelopment and the Ministry ofInformation and Broadcasting, Gyan

Darshan is a bouquet of four channels onvocational and technical education, highereducation and sustainable development. “We appeal to the minister that the

carriage fee for the transmission of thechannels on DTH be waived in our case,”said K. Ravi Kanth, director of the EMPC.�

UNESCO D-G Irena Bokova with Union HRD

Minister Kapil Sibal in New Delhi on January 11.

From left, K. Ravi Kanth, director, Electronic Media Production Centre; VC Prof

Pillai; MoS for Information & Broadcasting Choudhury Mohan Jatua; and former

Prasar Bharati CEO, K.S. Sarma, at the launch of six new FM stations in New Delhi.

IGNOU adds 6 FM radio stations to its bouquet

An education which does not teach us to discriminate between good and bad, toassimilate the one and eschew the other,is a misnomer. — Mahatma Gandhi

Rajesh Upadhyay is serving a lifesentence in the Netaji SubhashChandra Bose Central Jail,Jabalpur. He already holds

degrees in science and law, but feelsthese may not be of much use when hefinally walks free. A specialised skill iswhat he thinks will help him when hereturns to life outside prison. Which iswhy he has enrolled in a computer literacyprogramme. “The course will help me getemployed after my release,” he says.

For thousands of prisoners likeUpadhyay, interred in jails across thecountry, IGNOU has opened the gates tohigher education. It is an initiative that

was launched in New Delhi’s Tihar Jail in1994, but in a special New Year’sgesture, the University has given theproject a major impetus by declaring that the education it offers to jailinmates will, henceforth, be free.

“All jail inmates in the country will now be able to access free and qualityeducation according to their choices. Thisis an opportunity offered to them toreturn to the mainstream of life withquality education and future developmentboth morally and vocationally,” theUniversity said in a statement. Studentsdo not even have to pay examination orlate fees.

“They can enrol any time of the year,appear as and when they are ready totake their examinations and getcertificates which will ensure themvocational advantage as well as access to


INFOCUS

Breaking the ShacklesJail inmates havewelcomed the ‘free education for prisoners’initiative by IGNOUwhich could help them return to the mainstream oflife with qualityeducation andfuture development,both morally andvocationally

quality life,” the statement said.The results of the new initiative are

already visible in Jabalpur, where theUniversity has opened a Special StudyCentre inside the Central Jail. As many as 115 prisoners havetaken admission to variousprogrammes in the academicsession that commenced inJanuary this year.

“This unique move willchange the way people lookat jail inmates, and viceversa,” believes Dr. SomasiSrinivas, Regional Director,Jabalpur, who has scheduledCounselling Sessions in theJabalpur Special Centretwice a week, on Mondaysand Tuesdays.

Jabalpur JailSuperintendent GopalTamraka can only agree.“IGNOU’s decision to providefree education has raisedthe hope of prisoners frompoor backgrounds. They cannow dream of highereducation without payingfees for programmes or for

purchasing books,” says Tamraka.IGNOU’s Regional Centre, Cochin, is

also gearing up for a surge in students.Through its network of Special StudyCentres under the Council of NGOs ofRural India (CNRI), it had enrolled 57 jail inmates for the Computer LiteracyProgramme (CLP) in 2008. Thirty-four jail inmates from Central jail,Thiruvananthapuram, and 23 prisonersfrom sub jail, Kozhikode, took admissionin CLP. Forty-one jail inmates successfullycompleted the programme and were givencertificates.

But now, there is greater interest inthe programmes on offer — as they arefree. “The University’s decision to providefree education to convicts will result in asubstantial enrolment for differentprogrammes from this year’s session,”says Dr K.S.D. Nair, Regional Director,Cochin.

In Jabalpur, of the 115 prisonersenrolled in short-term certificate courses,70 are in the Bachelor PreparatoryProgramme (BPP), of whom 20 arewomen inmates. On completion of theBPP, the jail inmates would be eligible for admission in degree courses, saysSrinivas.

While 10 prisoners are enrolled in theCertificate in Disaster Management andCertificate in Human Rights programmes,15 are taking classes in CLP. Fiveinmates are pursuing the Certificate inFood and Nutrition programme, while fivewomen inmates are learning the ropesunder the Nutrition and Child Careprogramme.

Word is clearly getting around. On

January 15, the Haryana governmentinaugurated an IGNOU Study Centre inKarnal jail. “This is an exemplary step by the state government to provideeducation to prisoners. We will make allefforts to ensure that a maximum numberof prisoners can be educated,” saysAshok Sharma, Regional Director, Karnal.

“About 100 prisoners of Karnal jail willbe given admission in the first phase. TheJail Superintendent has been appointed ascoordinator of this Special Study Centre.”

“Besides various undergraduate andpostgraduate programmes, manyvocational courses will also be started inthe coming months so that jail inmatescan easily earn their livelihood after they are freed,” he adds. Karnal JailSuperintendent Jagjit Singh says it is thefirst prison in the state where educationwill be provided to the prisoners. “Aprisoner who has attained age 18 can getadmission in the bachelor’s degreeprogramme after completing the six-month BPP,” Singh notes.

The story is similar in farawayMizoram. On January 12, 60 inmates ofCentral Jail, Aizawl, enrolled for the BPPduring a sensitisation-cum-spot admissiondrive (See box). Minister of State forHome R. Lalzirliana, who inaugurated theprogramme, encouraged inmates to gainas much as they could from the freeeducation “gift” from IGNOU. “I want youto come out with dignity from the jail,”Lalzirliana told the inmates.

In Cuttack, Orissa, the University hasits Study Centres in two Central Jails —Choudwar and Berhampur. “Many inmateshave enrolled themselves with IGNOU

and are pursuing theirprogrammes,” says S.C.Ghosh, Choudwar JailWelfare Officer. Ghosh wasinstrumental in introducingthe prisoners to IGNOU after a thorough study of the facility in Tihar Jail.

In Rajasthan, theUniversity has two SpecialStudy Centres — at AjmerCentral Jail and JaipurCentral Jail, where 2,000inmates have attainedhigher education. Courseslike B.A., B.Com.,Bachelor’s in Social Work,and many certificatecourses are available atthese study centres.

Inmates who haveattained the age of 18 buthave not cleared class XIIhave been given admissionin degree courses after


Inmates at Aizawl Central Jail in

Mizoram perform a traditional dance

during IGNOU’s sensitisation-cum-

spot admission drive on January 12.

1,336 prisons across the country;

Maharashtra has the maximum jails (210)166,740 number of prisoners in central jails

76,662 under-trials in central jails

49,534 inmates in sub-jails in India

15 prisons only for women convicts

20 Special Jails in India

IGNOU’s ‘free education’ initiativecan change the lives of thousands ofconvicts across the country.

Prisoner Potential

completing the BPP programmes.Other jails set to avail of the benefits

of the free education initiative. TheCentral Jail in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, will soon have an IGNOU Study Centre.“Inmates of the jail have the facilities tostudy and appear in Class 10 and 12board examinations and other distantlearning graduation programmes.However, establishing an IGNOU centrewill help them gain post-graduate andprofessional degrees,” says Senior Jail

Superintendent B.R. Verma.The vision behind the mission was

always simple: To help convicts lead asocially-acceptable life, helping themerase the harsh memories of their past.

And when a convict like KanchanBalvanshi — a high school drop-out from Chhindwara who is serving a lifesentence in Jabalpur Central Jail— enrolls in the Computer LiteracyProgramme, IGNOU is well on its way to achieving that mission.n


New chapter for Aizawl inmates

In a first of its kind, 60 inmates

from Aizwal Central Jail, Mizoram,

have begun a new journey — they

have taken admission to IGNOU’s

bachelor’s preparatory programme

(BPP) under the University’s ‘free

education for prisoners’ drive.

A sensitisation-cum-spot admission

drive was held at Aizawl’s Central Jail

in Tanhril on January 12.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister

of State for Home R. Lalzirliana, who

inaugurated the programme at

Aizawl jail, encouraged jail inmates

to join the IGNOU programme.

Dr S.R. Zonunthara, Regional

Director, IGNOU, delivered welcome

address, highlighting the University’s

initiative to provide free education to

jail inmates from this year.

Inspector General (Prison) K.

Rohmingthanga urged the prisoners

to utilise the opportunity to the

maximum.

Chaired by Deputy Inspector

General (Prison), C. Lalthianghlima,

also the coordinator of special study

centre at the Central Jail, the

meeting was followed by cultural

performances from the inmates.

IGNOU established a study

centre at the jail in 1999 and an

examination centre has been

functioning here for a few years.

M.R. Krishna, Inspector General of Police, Jabalpur range, gives IGNOU study

material to a prisoner at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Central Jail.

No holds barredl Many new courses like Bachelor of Art/

Commerce/Preparatory Programme

Diploma in Creative

Writing in

Hindi/English,

Certificate in

Human Rights, Mas-

ter’s in Tourism/

Management/Com-

puters PG Diploma

in Distance Educa-

tion are being run at

the University’s

Tihar Jail Study Centre, New Delhi.

l Besides the much popular spoken-English

programme among Tihar prisoners, com-

puter courses and both adult and formal

education programmes are also a major hit.

l A Gandhi Centre has been established by

Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti (GSDS)

at Delhi-2 Regional Centre. More than 500

books on Gandhian Philosophy are added

to the library. Some of the inmates who

joined the path of ‘Reformation through

Education’ have been successfully

rehabilitated. (Source: www.tiharprisons.nic.in)

Inmates at Aizawl Central Jail for spot admission.

“Many inmates haveenrolled themselveswith IGNOU and arepursuing theirprogrammes,” says S.C.Ghosh, the Jail WelfareOfficer at ChoudwarJail in Orissa.


IGNOU’s School of Continuing Education(SOCE) organised a four-day Training ofTrainers’ (TOT) programme for core

faculty of the Andhra Pradesh Academy of Rural Development (APARD) in NewDelhi on January 20-23. The TOT sessionwas inaugurated by Vice Chancellor ProfRajashekharan Pillai and the valedictoryaddress was delivered by Vice Chancellorof Jamia Hamdard University, Dr G.N.Qazi. The TOT was designed by SOCEdirector Prof M. Aslam.�

There are officially 6.76lakh scavengers in India and the Safai

Karmachari Sanghatana(SKA) is working towardseradicating the inhumanpractice by the end of this year.

“Officially, there are 6.76lakh manual scavengers in India,though unofficial estimates put thefigure at 13 lakh. We are working on a project ‘Action 2010’ that aims

to eradicate manual scav-enging this year,” saidBerdaza Wilson, SKA presi-dent, at the lecture titled‘Inhuman Practices of Man-ual Scavenging: Cleaning upShit,’ organised in the campus on February 5.

The lecture was con-vened by Prof Vimal Thorat for ‘DrAmbedkar Chair on Social Change andDevelopment.’ Professor Gail Omvedt is the Chair Professor.�

PASSINGBYNEWSscan

Prof Michael d.

intriliGator, eMeritus

of econoMics, ucla

Prof intriligator, emeritus of economics,

Political science and Public Policy, the

university of california, visited iGnou during the

Peace conference and explained his popular

philosophy of ‘Bottom-up theory’ of fiscal

distribution for ensuring lasting peace and

development in any situation.

Prof sheldon leVy,

Profosser of social

PsycholoGy, Wayne

state uniVersity

Prof levy, Professor of social Psychology,

Wayne state university, discussed at the

Peace conference, organised by iGnou, how

psychic order or perfect management of it

ensures lasting peace in a given situation.

Prof Manas

chatterJi, school of

ManaGeMent, state

uniVersity of ny

Professor in school of Management, state

university of new york, Binghamton. Prof

chatterji was the key functionary behind the

Peace conference in new delhi. he was the

catalyst in bringing most of the top intellectuals

from across the globe to the conference.

End manual scavenging this year

The University mournsthe demise of Balwant

Singh, an attendant withthe School of HealthSciences. Singh joined the University in 1997 andworked at the EMPC, theSRD and the MPDD.

Obituary

Prof Gail Omvedt

Prof Gilles Guyot,

dean, laW school

at uniVersite Jean

Moulin (uJM), lyon

Professor Gilles Guyot visited the iGnou

campus in new delhi on february 2 to give

a presentation at the school of Management

studies on ‘cross cultural challenges’.

Prof Madan Vasishta,

associate Professor &

outreach sPecialist,

Gallaudet uniVersity

Prof Vasishta, outreach specialist at Gallaudet

university’s centre for international Program

& services, Washington, d.c., has worked for over

35 years in developing sign language for deaf.

he teaches methods about how best the deaf

students can be empowered. he was here to

deliver a special lecture on sign language.

TRAINING OF TRAINERS

(Top) Jamia VC Dr G.N.

Qazi receiving a bouquet

from SOCE academic

Dr S.K. Palit at the

TOT session. (Left)

Prof M. Aslam.

Does the lush green of theIGNOU campus in NewDelhi inspire poetry? It is

a question you could pose to Dr Nandini Sahu, AssociateProfessor of English at theSchool of Humanities.

Dr Sahu has been widelypublished in India, the US, theUK and Pakistan. Works such as

‘The Other Voice’,‘Recollection as Redemption’,‘Post-Modernist Delegation to English LanguageTeaching,’ ‘The Silence,’ ‘The Post Colonial Space:Writing the Self and theNation,’ and ‘Silver Poems on My Lips’ have won criticalacclaim.�

A poet on campus wins acclaim

Prof Nandini Sahu

Modular Lab in operation

Students of M.Sc (Chemistry) at the

Modular Lab inaugurated by Minister

of HRD, Kapil Sibal, on Nov. 19, 2009.Balwant

Singh

At 55 percent, Madhya Pradeshhas the highest malnutritionfigures in the country forchildren under 3. And Vidisha

district is one of the worstperformers in the state.Things are, however, slowlychanging for the better. And leading this quiet

revolution are women likeSuman Lodhi, SarveshMalviya and Sita Saxena –women who have beenempowered by IGNOU.They are among the 1,014

anganwadi workers whounderwent training as part ofa programme launched byIGNOU in association withUNICEF and the Departmentof Women and ChildDevelopment of Madhya

Pradesh, to deal better with issues like child malnourishment and women’shealth.The anganwadi movement, launched in

1975 as part of theIntegrated Child DevelopmentServices, was envisaged asthe nation’s primary toolagainst child malnourishment,infant mortality and thehealth-related problems ofyoung mothers. It began withjust 33 centres; today, thereare nearly 7.5 lakhanganwadis across thecountry. The IGNOU programme is

aimed at providing skill-basededucation to anganwadiworkers. And it has indeedhelped, according to NakiJahan Qureshi, Women and


SPOTlight

Empowering WomenIn 2008, IGNOU, inassociation withUNICEF, launched apilot project to train1,014 anganwadiworkers in Vidishadistrict, MadhyaPradesh. Today,more and morestates are willing to emulate the initiative that has become a harbinger of changefor rural India

Manju Srivastava, an anganwadi worker at Vidya

Nagar centre in Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh, shows

children a toy made of waste products.

� Malnourished children in age group 0-5 in India: 5.7 crore

� No. of women die every year due to child-birth related issues: 1,00,000

� No. of Anganwadi centres: 7.46 lakh

� No. of Anganwadi workers: 19 lakh

“The traininghelped theworkers

understandthe actualmeaning ofanganwadi.”

— Dr Harkirat Bains,programme coordinator

Child Development Officer, Vidisha. “The results have been quiteencouraging,” says Qureshi.So encouraging, that the Madhya

Pradesh government is planning toextend the programme to all the districts of the state. The training modules, conducted in

seven development blocks across thedistrict from December 11, 2008, till May 28, 2009, have instilled much-needed self-confidence in the workers,says Qureshi. The training involved community

health, infant care, innovative ways tocombat malnutrition, nutritional needsduring pregnancy, special needs ofadolescent girls, anaemia, issues relatedto women’s empowerment, immunisationand water purification.“The idea was to make the workers

understand that they are not tasked tojust distribute mid-day meals, but to playa larger role — of being a mother, friendor a family member,” says IGNOU’s Dr Harkirat Bains, the coordinator of the programme. “To make anganwadi workers

understand the special needs of womenand children, IGNOU developed a set offour books. The books were based on the intellectual levels of anganwadiworkers since the challenge was toaddress the huge educational andlanguage differences among them,” says Dr Bains.The training, however, was not all

theory. “The workers were given practicalknowledge about the importance ofhaemoglobin in blood, blood pressure,nutrition, weight-loss and other health-related problems that adolescent girlsface,” she adds. And the programme has visibly

empowered the anganwadi workers.“After attending the sessions, they feelmore self-confident and are helping otherwomen and children understand thebenefits of a healthy and wholesomelifestyle,” says Dr Bains.For Sarvesh Malviya, a worker at an

anganwadi near Pedi school, the trainingwas a boon. “It was a challenge to under-stand the needs of girls andchildren. Today, I feel moreconfident and am able toaddress their problems morediligently,” says Malviya, amother of two.Similar is the experience

of Savita Tiwari, 45, whoruns the anganwadi centrenear Kartik Chowk. She is today almost like a family doctor for those who visit her. “The IGNOU trainers

helped me understand howbest to address thesymptoms of anaemia andmalnutrition among womenand children and theproblems teenaged girlsface during puberty,” saysTiwari. “The discussionswith paediatrics andgynaecologists were reallyhelpful.” Although the training was focused on

health issues, the anganwadi workersderived other benefits from it as well.

Take the case of ManjuSrivastava. Posted at VidyaNagar anganwadi centre,Srivastava is today an expert inwaste management, thanks tothe training sessions. And shenow creates beautiful toys forkids from waste products.The quiet change sweeping

Vidisha has not gone unnoticed.While Madhya Pradesh intendsto take the IGNOU programmeto all its districts, other stateshave evinced interest as well. “Chhattisgarh is keen to

implement the programme inthe state and has approachedus,” says IGNOU ViceChancellor V.N. RajasekharanPillai, adding that the projectmay soon also be launched inAssam.The small step taken in

Vidisha may well prove a bigleap for the 5.7 crore malnourishedchildren in the country.�


“The training helped meunderstand how the use of gud (jaggery), palak(spinach) and eggs helpsboost the haemoglobin level.

This has helped me give useful tips towomen during pregnancy.” — Sita Saxena, Worker

Dr Harkirat Bains (right) distributing IGNOU notebooks to women in Vidisha.

“Experts at the programmetold me that mother’s milkprovides the required proteinsfor the new-born baby and themother must feed him/her for

the first six months. I am now educatingwomen about this fact.” — Suman Lodhi, Worker

“The workers visited

hospitals for hands-ontraining... I

hope theentire state

will have suchprogrammes.”

— Naki JahanQureshi, Women &Child Development

Officer, Vidisha


LECTUREseries

Diluting the special powers givento security forces under lawcould be “damaging”, a topIndian Army officer has said,

opposing any future move to repeal suchlaws needed for “effectively” fightingmilitants in Jammu and Kashmir.“In order to operate effectively,

security forces need necessary legalprovisions,” Lt. Gen. Mukesh Sabharwalsaid while delivering IGNOU Silver JubileeLecture on ‘Internal Security in Jammuand Kashmir: Historical Perspective andEmerging Scenario’, in the campus onFebruary 21.Opposing the popular demand of

politicians in Jammu and Kashmir forrevocation of the Armed Forces (SpecialPowers) Act in the state, the army officersaid: “Any dilution of protective laws forsecurity forces could be damaging.” “Such laws are the only safeguard

for security forces, and give them therequisite legal framework which permitsthem to conduct proactive operationsagainst terrorists,” he added. Sabharwal, who is Adjutant General

of the Indian Army, said that state policeforces and the central paramilitaryneeded to be strengthened to ensureinternal security. “This involves capacity-building of state police forces, training of

police and the Central Reserve PoliceForce (CRPF),” he added. Sabharwal said the importance of

leadership of the paramilitary forces “cannot be overemphasised. We graduallyneed to reduce the army’s visibility,especially in cities and along roads,”Sabharwal said. “Excellent communication was

essential to enable security forces tooperate effectively. In turn, for these tobe effective, intelligence is a must. Thisis best gathered through the populace,which, in Jammu and Kashmir, has beenlargely won over, convinced of the justcause of the nation.” Sabharwal also underlined the

importance of governance anddevelopment in Jammu and Kashmir. “It isdesirable that more industries mushroomin Jammu and Kashmir, and the nationalmedia proliferate to an ever greaterdegree... Development of Jammu andKashmir is perhaps the single-mostimportant factor, essential for bringinglasting peace to the state.” On Pakistan, Lt Gen said the terror

infrastructure in the neighbouring countrywas intact though there had been adecline in incursions into Jammu andKashmir. “Communication is catered forand material and moral support of allkinds are provided (to militants inPakistan),” Sabharwal said, adding thatthe terror camps and training centres hadnot been dismantled by Pakistan.The lecture session was chaired by

IGNOU Vice-Chancellor V.N. RajasekharanPillai and was attended by eminentguests, academics, students and staff of the University.�

Indian patriotism arose not as culturalor linguistic nationalism but as amulti-lingual, multi-religious and anti-

colonial nationalism, and thenconsolidated itself in what I have calledconstitutional patriotism.”These words were part of the Third

Friday Lecture delivered by India’sleading political theorist Aijaz Ahmad,under the seminar series of the School of Gender and Development Studies(SGDS), titled ‘Reflecting on Nation andCulture,’ in the campus on January 15.Prof Ahmad said the theoretical

endeavour requires invention of newcategories, taking into account our ownexperiences as a multi-cultural nation.

To him, the homogenising notions ofculture and nation which weredeveloped by the Europeans toconsolidate their state system in India

based on the need of capitalism, doesnot serve us. “We formed our nation in the process

of opposing imperialism and colonialism.This moment of resistance is built intoour history and concept of nation andculture. The multiplicity of ourlanguages, religions, cuisines andethnicities got woven into a moment ofdiversity which was democratic in theexperience of its politics,” he said. Cautioning against the politics of

cultural homogenisation by religiousextremists, Prof Ahmad said the bestdefence against such tendencies is ourdemocracy that guarantees individualrights and liberties.

‘Kashmir needs Special Powers Act’

Let constitutional patriotism prevail: Prof Ahmad

Lt. Gen. Sabharwal delivering IGNOU’s

Silver Jubilee Lecture in New Delhi.

Prof Aijaz Ahmad at the seminar.


NEWSupdates

factoids In a first of its kind, IGNOU and the Power Ministry have

signed an agreement to train power sector employees in

the fields of generation, transmission and distribution.

‘Give peace a lasting chance’

Hunger for power andunquenchable greed are amongthe reasons for large-scaleconflicts among communities and

nations. These have to stop if lastingpeace is to be achieved. That was themessage from participants of the‘International Conference on ConflictManagement, Peace Economics andPeace Science,’ organised by IGNOU —along with the Gandhi Smriti and DarshanSamiti (GSDS) and UNESCO — in NewDelhi from January 11 to 13.Appropriately held at Raj Ghat, the

memorial to the Apostle of PeaceMahatma Gandhi, the conferenceattracted a host of scholars from across the world. Among the speakers was

Dr. Karan Singh, President, Indian Councilfor Cultural Relations, and an ardentvotary of peace. His message: “Givepeace a lasting chance, we can do it.” Other participants included the 90-

year-old Walter Isard, an economist whohas been nominated several times for theNobel for creating ‘Peace Science’ as amodern university discipline, and MichaelD. Intrilligator, Emeritus Professor at theUniversity of California at Los Angeles.Speakers dwelt on the bloody conflicts

in Congo, Zambia, Zaire, West Asia, SriLanka, Bangladesh and the Af-Pakworlds. The roots of these conflicts lay in land, religion or demography, thespeakers noted. At a panel discussion on‘Peace Science: Theory & Methods’,chaired by Prof Isard, Prof Intriligatorfocused on Pakistan.“Terrorism, feuds, tacit military

support to mujahideen, Al Qaeda,insurgent groups — are all togethertormenting its (Pakistan’s) economy andpolity,” he said, noting that the country’snuclear capability was an added worry. “You never know when another

Musharraf or A.Q. Khan may emerge,” hesaid. The ISI may once again become verypowerful in the country. “Today, Paki-

stan’s polity is faced with everythingwhich can disturb peace in the world.”On a panel discussing ‘Global Security

and Human Security’, Prof Intrilligatorwas critical of the “trickle-down”principle of economy practiced by the US over the past 30 years,blaming it for the currentglobal economic slump. Noting that money is

concentrated in the hands oflarge financial institutions, he said the world mustextend support to smallbusinesses, entrepreneurs,the unemployed, and thedisadvantaged. That alonecan help reverse theeconomic slowdown.Prof Riaz Ahmed Sheikh

of the Karachi-basedInstitute of BusinessTechnology, spoke on‘Afghan War — Global Jihadand Sectarian Conflict inPakistan — Internal andExternal Links’.Noting that “Prime

Minister Benazir Bhuttowas killed by terroristswithin Pakistan”, he said: “All thesubversive groups are still being secretly

supported and helped by the formermilitary generals. Taliban is beingstrengthened. All these are graveconcerns in Pakistan’s common life.” We have to work cohesively to solvethese problems, he added.

Prof Isard wasphilosophical as he did somecrystal-gazing. Asked how hesaw the world 10 years fromnow, he said, “Things willimprove. India will be in amuch better condition, withpeace restored. And so will becountries like China.” Peacehas a good chance, he added.

Delivering the valedictoryaddress, Prof Pillai said:“IGNOU works according tothe tenets of Gandhiji’sprinciples of empoweringthe grassroots and thecommoners.” That, he said,was the only way to achievereal development andgrowth.GSDS Director Dr. Savita

Singh, Prof R.P. Mishra andIGNOU Pro Vice ChancellorProf K.R. Srivathsan were

present at the valedictory function. ProfD. Gopal gave the vote of thanks.�

From left, US economist Walter Isard, Dr. Savita Singh of GSDS and VC Prof Pillai.

“Terrorism,feuds, tacit

military supportto mujahideen, AlQaeda... are alltormentingPakistan’seconomy...”— Prof Michael D. Intrilligator


REGIONALroundup

IGNOU Institute of Vocational EducationTraining (IIVET), Shillong, recentlyorganised a five-day residential training

programme on ‘Production and Post-Harvest Technology of Lakadong Turmeric’for North-East farmers. Over a period, theturmeric is likely to emerge a novelgeographical indicator.Grown in the Lakadong area in Jaintia

Hills of Meghalaya, the Lakadong variety ofturmeric has the highest curcumin content(7.4 percent) in the world and can begrown commercially on a larger scale. Butthe farmers here were unable to increasethe yield due to ignorance about scientificagricultural practices, lack of marketlinkages and an entrepreneurial drive. The training programme, attended by 25

farmers from the region, addressed all

these problems. Scientists from the IndianCouncil for Agricultural Research (ICAR)imparted the training that dealt withvarious aspects of production and post-harvest technology for growing Lakadongturmeric in a better way.Narrating their learning experience,

farmers said they never felt encouraged togrow turmeric because it did not give themgood returns. But the training had helpedthem understand the agriculturalpractices and market needs.IIVET has met state agriculture

department officials to help thefarmers set up better linkages with thepackaging industry to get a better price.The Meghalaya Cooperative Apex BankLtd. has decided to provide financialassistance to the Lakadong farmers.�

With a view to revitalising localhealth traditions in the North-East, the IGNOU Institute for

Vocational Education and Training (IIVET),Shillong, the Foundation for Revitalisationof Local Health Tradition (FRLHT),Bangalore, and the North-Eastern Council(NEC), have signed a Memorandum ofCollaboration (MoC) to launch a six-month training programme in ayurvedictherapy.The first training programme,

inaugurated by the Vice Chancellor atFRLHT centre in Bangalore on January 24,will train youth from the North-Easternregion.Others present at the event were

Darshan Shankar, chairman, FRLHT; Dr D.K. Ved, director, FRLHT; Dr G.G.Gangadharan, joint director, FRLHT; andProf Debjani Roy, Officer on Special Duty(OSD), IIVET. According to Dr Roy, the second

training programme for ayurveda therapy

will commence in March this year.The MoC envisages that all eight

North-Eastern states will be required tosend their batch of students through theIIVET, which will be funded by the NEC.�

Lakadong turmeric back in business

Thrust on ayurveda therapySTUDENTS’corner

From IGNOU to country head

Meet Mithilesh Kumar, a civilengineer and the country head

of Layher Scaffolding Systems Pvt.Ltd., a firm that specialises inscaffolding and roofing systems. Kumar is a success story of

IGNOU’s B.Tech (constructionmanagement) programme.In his own words, “the journey to

the top post was made easy with myfour years at IGNOU’s School ofEngineering and Technology, pursuingthe programme.”“The beauty of this programme

was the industry-orientedcourseware, such as design detailing, construction workssupervision and repair andmaintenance of buildings, that arenot available in the curricula of otheruniversities in the country,” saysKumar, who did his M. Tech in civilengineering from IIT-Roorkee. “Face-to-face counselling

sessions over the weekend withIGNOU professors, study programmeson Gyan Darshan and FM channelGyan Vani, e-Gyankosh and NationalProgramme on Technology EnhancedLearning (NPTEL) materials, etc.,helped me a lot during my B. Tech,”says Kumar.He has written several papers and

articles such as ‘Scaffolding withMore Possibilities’ and ‘The Art ofScaffolding Systems,’ for magazineslike Civil Engineering & ConstructionReview. At Layher, heleads the businessdevelopment sectionthat covers design,strategic planning andmarketing.

VC Prof Pillai with the Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Tradition(FRLHT) chairman Darshan Shankar andtrainees. (Inset) Prof Debjani Roy, OSD,IIVET (Shillong), at the FRLHT campus.

12

N-E farmers at a Lakadong turmeric-growing field. (Right) Learners at a session.

MithileshKumar athis officein NewDelhi.


REGIONALroundup

factoids Six students of IGNOU’s PG Diploma in Industrial Safety,

Health and Environment Management have been selected

for the post of safety officers at a package of 5.5 lakh/annum.

The Solution Exchange, a unique knowledge-sharinginitiative of the United Nations, has selected Professor K.Elumalai of the School of Law (SOL), IGNOU, to lead an

Action Group Forum on ‘Strengthening Cooperative Acts forFinancial Inclusion and Micro-finance.’ The Forum will functionas a Consultative Group to interact with various governmentalwings and institutions to advocate changes in policies, Acts,rules and bye-laws pertaining to Cooperative Societies.The decision was taken at a workshop titled ‘Enabling

Provisions on Cooperative Acts in Context of FinancialInclusion and Micro Finance in India’, organised by the UnitedNations Development Programme (UNDP) in Bhopal recently.It discussed how to develop a strategy to strengthen the Cooperative Acts so that financialempowerment and micro-finance can reach the target groups.Prof Elumalai played a key role in identification of these themes to take the Forum agenda forward.�

SOL Prof Elumalai leads UNDP action forum

Keeping pace with information dissemination in the digitalage, IGNOU, Port Blair Centre, has installed a state-of-the-

art All-Time Educating Machine (ATEM) at its premises. Inaugurating the machine, Vivek Rae, Chief Secretary,

Andaman and Nicobar Islands government, advised theUniversity to ensure student satisfaction and offered theadministration’s support for installing more such machines atstudy centres across the region.The ATEM is a

multimedia-basedtouchscreen machine,similar to an ATM. It stores audio-videoinformation regardingtopics of schooleducation at variouslevels — primary,secondary and highersecondary to higher,vocational andtechnical education. The ATEM would also provide contentrelated to programmes on health, nutrition and disastermanagement. Those present were Taj Hassan, InspectorGeneral of Police, A&N Administration, and Dr M.M. Mahajan,principal, JNR Mahavidyalaya, Port Blair. Regional Director DrS. Saunand presided over the function.�

Aworkshop for Gyan Vani anchors was organised at theUniversity’s Guwahati Regional Centre on January 9. It

focused on how to improve interactive announcements andvoice modulation while on air. Twenty-eight announcersparticipated in the day-long workshop. IGNOU Regional Director Dr Vardhini Bhattacharjee advised

the anchors to encourage talent promotion while educatingpeople through Gyan Vani. Dr D.S. Bhattacharjee, Officer onSpecial Duty (OSD)at the IGNOUInstitute forProfessionalCompetencyAdvancement ofTeachers (IIPCAT),gave a presentationon content flow forthe channel whilestation managerPratap Bordoloi toldthe participants how to draw listeners in. Gyan Vani staff workers Ellora Goswami and Golap Saikia

also gave presentations. The Gyan Vani FM Channel in Guwahatiruns for eight hours a day – from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.to 8 p.m. Available on 107.8 Mhz frequency, the channel can beaccessed in a 20-km radius.�

All-Time Educating Machine Gyan Vani anchors’ training

Prof K. Elumalai addressing the participants in Bhopal.

Vivek Rae inaugurating the ATEM. Gyan Vani anchors during the workshop.


REGIONALroundup

IGNOU Centre for ODL in Research and Training in Agriculture and theIGNOU Regional Centre, Agartala,

recently organised a training programmefor unemployed local youth onidentification, scientific cultivation and utilisation of locally-availablemedicinal plants.The training made the participants

aware of the market potential and

medicinal value of such plants.The programme was organised with the

help of the Department of Horticulture andSoil Conservation of the state government;the Department of Botany of M.B.B.College, Agartala; the Forest ResearchDivision of the Medicinal Plant Board ofTripura; the Non-Timber Forest ProduceCentre of Excellence in the state, as wellas the Tripura Regional Centre of NEDFI.�

The importance of good teacherscannot be over-emphasised. Goodteachers not only educate — they

also inspire. Good teachers make goodstudents. Good teachers make goodcitizens. We must, therefore, find ways and means to improve the quality of ourteachers.Quoting from Prime Minister

Manmohan Singh’s address on theNational Education Day last year,Anupama Singh, First Lady of ArunachalPradesh, stressed the need to train theteachers as such to draw students to theclassroom with renewed energy.She was speaking at the valedictory

function of IGNOU’s B.Ed. programme atthe University’s Itanagar Regional Centreat Naharlagunon recently. The Singh alsofelicitated 67 B.Ed. learners.Singh appreciated IGNOU for

motivating people of all age groupstowards enhancing knowledge.�

Training on medicinal plants

Teachers must inspire: First Lady of Arunachal

Participants of the training programme on cultivation and utilisation of medicinal plants.

First Lady of Arunachal Pradesh Anupama Singh (right) giving a certificate to a B.Ed.learner during the valedictory function at the IGNOU Regional Centre, Itanagar.

IGNOU’s EntrepreneurshipDevelopment Programme (EDP) at its Regional Centre, Agartala, has set a successful example for themarginalised sections of society.The programmes under EDP cover

handicraft, food processing, PChardware repair and maintenance and agarbatti (incense stick) making,etc. Recently, IGNOU conducted aprogramme on agarbatti makingwhich received a huge response.After the successful completion,most of the participants were eitherabsorbed by small business units orstarted their own businesses.

Women making agarbattis (incense sticks).

Job seekers to job providers


REGIONALroundup

factoids IGNOU’s Advanced Centre of Informatics and Innovative

Learning has set up an e-learning system that can

translate content from English to Hindi instantly.

Nursing students at the induction programme.

Machine moulding course

The IGNOU Institute of VocationalEducation and Training (IIVET),

Shillong, in collaboration with the CentralInstitute of Plastics Engineering andTechnology, Guwahati, commenced a six-month training programme on MachineOperator Injection Moulding (Mo-IM) inGuwahati recently. The programme was attended by 40

participants from Assam, Meghalaya,Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Tripura.

Workshop on apparel designIGNOU’s Madurai Regional Centre recentlyorganised a two-day regional workshop on‘Skill Development Through CommunityColleges in Apparel Design & Manufactur-ing’ at the Vallabhbhai Patel Institute.

Pro-VC Dr. Latha Pillai speaking at a workshop in Madurai.

The IGNOU stall at the book festival.

The Vijayawada Regional Centreparticipated in a book exhibition

organised by Vijayawada Book FestivalSociety at Swaraj Maidan from January 1-11. Inaugurated by Peeyush Kumar(IAS) Magistrate, Krishna district, thefestival attracted 236 publishers. Thecentre displayed its programme guidesand various courses. Nearly 10,000people visited the IGNOU stall.

‘Clean City, Green City’ campaign in Guwahati

IIVET, Shillong, in association withNorth-East Girl Students’ Association(NEGSA) and Gandhi Smriti and DarshanSamiti (GSDS), organised a follow-upevent of the multi-skilled leadershipprogramme in Guwahati recently. Thefunction included response fromparticipants of the multi-skilled and IT

skilled sessions and environmentalawareness programme. Amongdignitaries, celebrated Gandhian NatwarThakkar addressed the participants. A month-long awareness drive on

environment, titled ‘Clean City, GreenCity,’ was also launched during the two-day event.

Vijayawada book festivalInduction meet for nurses

IGNOU Imphal Centre organised theinduction meet for 30 learners enrolledin the university’s three-year B.Sc.(Nursing) Post-Basic Programme at theKangleipak Medical and Nursing Institute(KMNI), Khurai, on January 23.The keynote address was delivered by

KMNI principal M. Benita Devi. Thefunction was attended by Dr. R.K. RanjanSingh of Manipur University.

Candidates of MO-IM programme at a session.

North-East Girl Students’ Association during the ‘Clean City, Green City’ drive.

Dr Sivaswaroop is FRSC Fellow

Dr P. Sivaswaroop,Regional Director

(Nagpur), has beenselected as Fellow ofthe Royal Society ofChemistry (FRSC),London. DrSivaswaroop isdeveloping a PGDiploma programme in Pharmaceutical

Analytical Techniques.

Eminent teacher award

Director of the School of Education,Prof. M.L. Koul, has been honoured with‘National EminentTeacher EducatorAward 2009’ by IndianAssociation of TeacherEducators (IATE). Hejoined IGNOU in 1986in the division ofDistance Education, now STRIDE, as a lecturer and

coordinated to develop M.Ed, DPE, CPEand CETE programmes of the University.

Students from Pakistan at IGNOU

Agroup of 30 Pakistani managementstudents visited the Indira Gandhi

International Open University (IGNOU)campus in New Delhi on January 20 and discussed social issues with theIndian students.

The students from the Lahore University of Management Studies(LUMS) were led by Professor RafiqAhmed.

During theirinteraction with the students at the University, thePakistani studentsdiscussed severalsocial issues andwished to have more student-exchange programmesbetween the two countries.

After the interactive session, ProfShambhu Nath Singh, Director of Schoolof Journalism and New Media Studies,told the Pakistani students: “India is the unique success story in diversity inhabits and lifestyles. The IndianConstitution has not allowed religion to play the main role here.”�


MILESTONESONcampus

HIGHLIGHTS

Lecture on Mahatma Gandhi

October 1995: Prof U.R. Anantha Murthy

delivers the First Anuvrat Trust Endowment

Lecture on ‘The Relevance of Mahatma

Gandhi: A Writer’s Perspective.’

In Honour of Founding VC

July 1996: First ‘Prof G. Ram Reddy Memorial

Lecture’ delivered in memory of IGNOU’s

founding Vice Chancellor. In the same month,

the government decided to amend the

IGNOU Act to enable the establishment of

Study Centres outside India.

IGNOU Amendement Act

1996: The Parliament passes the IGNOU

Amendment Act for ensuring the establishment

of the University’s study centres outside India.

MoUs with partner institutions signed with five

countries.

T&T PM Visits IGNOU

January, 1997: Sanchar Kendra, the Electronic

Media Production Centre (EMPC), was

inaugurated by Prime Minister H.D. Deve

Gowda. Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago,

Basdeo Panday, visits the University.

Palkiwala Delivers Lecture

February, 1997: Eminent jurist Nani A.

Palkhiwala delivers the second ‘Anuvrat

Trust Endowment Lecture’ on ‘Role of

Destiny in Our Life’.

Vision abroad

THURSDAYFebruary 1809:00: Adult Education: Manjile AurBhi Hain (Episode-10)17:00: Windows to theWorld — 1987: ModernManagement; 1946: Expedition to the Animal Kingdom; 1896: Adventures In Archeology18:30: NIOS-Sec.: 1. Conservation of Nutrients 2. The Mysteries of Human Behavior (Hindi)

SATURDAYFebruary 2011:00: UGC/CEC: Folk Arts of AndhraPradesh — Oggukatha,Rajasthani Folk Instruments — Satara 21:00: IGNOU-SOSS:Urban Labourers21:30: IGNOU: Microscopes — Istemaal AurRakhrakhav22:00: IGNOU/Culture: Rajnayik Samagri Ka Anuwad

MONDAYFebruary 2208:00: NITTTR: Participatory Rural Appraisal, An intro to PRA 09:30: UGC/CEC: Natural Hazards — Cyclones, Deep intoEarth — Copper Mines — Khetri11:30: North EastKaleidoscope/WomenEmpowerment:(IG/BS3/3756), WhenWater Breathes Again

WEDNESDAYFebruary 2406:30: Introduction to Information Management and Dissemination 11:00: UGC/CEC: Numerical Chromosomes — II,Pushpraj Gulab

FRIDAYFebruary 2611:00: UGC/CEC: Yoga — 5, Aasan Asan -3, Educational Technology21:00: Reading theNovel – A Tail of TwoCities: The Art ofCharles Dickens (Part-1)

SUNDAYFebruary 2806:00: IGNOU:Indian Constitution and Judiciary (Part-1)14:30: NITTTR: CHN-21: Global positioning system -3,Minor surveying instrument

[Not to be

MissedWatch a special programme

on ‘Foreign Language as a Career’ at 4.00 p.m. on Sunday (February 28). Foreignlanguage experts can find jobsin MNCs. The UN appoints foreign language experts whileinternational firms also hiretranslators. Bonne Chance!

]

Prof P.

Sivaswaroop

Prof M.L.

Koul

Prof Shambhu

Nath Singh

open letter february 2010

Documents

research conferences

highquality research

quality inhouse research

renowned research institutes

staff toundertake research

renowned open university

statutory research council

distance education council