open letter june for web

The ethos of IGNOU is not just about spreading knowledge and skills alone, but very much focussed on

understanding and developing successful networks of collaborative teaching, learning, skill building,

training, research and institution building. Of late, we focus on how systems and people from different

strata of life work together to achieve success in enhancing the quality of life and life management systems.

We emphasise on interdependency and remain connected with all our supporters and friends in business,

industry, social and culture sectors, and of course with the Union and State Government Departments. Our

focus recently has been on managing successful tie-ups to achieve the objectives of inclusive education and

thereby inclusive growth. True to the founding principles of the University, we have been quite open and

flexible in all our approaches to provide quality education and employable skills to large number of learners,

countryside, worldwide.

The recent announcement of our Prime Minister in Addis Ababa regarding the establishment of the India

Africa Virtual University is based on the success of the Pan-African e-Network, which IGNOU spearheaded

four years ago with the support of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Tele Communications India Limited

(TCIL). We feel proud to see the growth of this tele-education network in the African continent and its

transformation to a full-fledged Virtual University which would be a joint venture of India and the African

Union. With IGNOU shortly entering into the global Open Education Resources (OER) following the UNESCO

guidelines, this initiative is going to propel us very high in the area of internationalisation

of Indian higher Education.

The latest decision of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of

India, to establish the Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC) at

IGNOU is the result of innovative international collaboration in development-oriented

research in the area of disability sector and in inclusive education. In 2007, the Staff

Training and Research Institute (STRIDE) of IGNOU succeeded in getting a joint research

project with the Sign Language Institute of the University of Central Lancashire, UK, under

the UK-India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI) for the development of Distance

Education Strategies for sign language education and training. The rapid success achieved in this project led

to the introduction of a joint degree programme in Sign Language. This most innovative step of the University

was noticed by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, which was considering the establishment

of a National Institute of Sign Language Research and Training. Rightly so, the project was sanctioned to

IGNOU, and the Centre is going to be functional from this academic year involving Indian and international

expertise in sign language.

In 2008, the New Delhi Centre of the All India Women’s Conference (AIWC) approached me to find out

whether the various community skill development training activities, which they have been doing very

effectively could be examined and certified. In this context only IGNOU started the Community College

Initiative consisting of modular level education, hands-on training and work-integrated learning leading to the

award of Certificates, Diplomas, Advance Diplomas and Associate Degrees. From there it expanded and the

community college scheme of IGNOU has picked up very well with the participation of diverse grassroots

level organisations, both in the private and public domain in the country. Government departments like the

information technology, rural development, textiles, technical education, Indian Army, Navy and Air force

collaborate in a big way with us in this nation-wide skill development initiative, leading to certification of

employable skills and the enhancement of livelihood opportunities of the underprivileged sections of the

society. We could get this scheme incorporated in the 11th Five Year Plan and we followed the National

Knowledge Commission recommendations for starting the Associate Degree Programme for the first time in

the country. With the introduction of the proposed National Vocational Education Qualification Framework

(NVQF) by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), the community college initiative would

contribute significantly to the enhancement of the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) since it provides a lateral

entry to the University Degrees. The IGNOU Community College Initiative is now finalising a partnership with

the well-established US Community College system through the latest Obama-Singh initiative 2011.

The dissemination of higher education knowledge must shift from ‘know what and where to look for’ to

inquiry and exploration of the how and why of connectedness and the positive outcomes thereof. For the

better ends and objectives of local, regional and world communities, global higher education must now focus

more on teaching how to understand, develop and utilise relationship networks in the 21st century. This is

necessary for tertiary institutions to nurture the type of society necessary for operating in a knowledge-

based economy. As students and people in general learn and understand more about the importance of

relationships and networks, they will come to know that things may not always happen in ways intended or

expected. Due to this fact, it is crucial to understand the importance of empathy, to beyond the university

community. This is the underlying philosophy of many of our recent initiatives. IGNOU, in recent years, has

seen real progress towards this joined-up or ‘systemic’ view of tertiary education. This view was made possible

through effective partnering with public and private institutions and establishments within and outside the

education sector. We could develop our intellectual and professional communities of learners, teachers,

academics and planners into practical networks of learning for the mutual benefit of the economy, the

individual and the society at large.

V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai

IGNOU OPEN LETTER | JUNE 15, 20112

4

CONTENTS

Global Footprints

China Calling

INFOCUS: With 67

Partner Institutions in

over 40 countries, IGNOU

is successfully taking

Indian higher education

beyond the borders of

the country

NEW TIE-UP. ......................................03

FIRST PERSON. ..........................10

NEWS UPDATES..........................11

23RD CONVOCATION...................12

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

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

8 SPOTLIGHT: IGNOU makes

strides into China to tap

the country’s vast

educational market by

signing MoUs with three

world-class universities

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

Editorial Advisor: Deepak Dwivedi

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

INNOVATIVE COLLABORATIONS FOR INCLUSIVE GROWTH

The Indira Gandhi National Open

University (IGNOU) has collaborated

with the Haryana Government to

launch the Haryana-IGNOU Community

College in Manesar.

Haryana Chief Minister Shri Bhupinder

Singh Hooda inaugurated the Haryana-

IGNOU Community College, Institute for

Competency Advancement of Teachers (i-

CAT) and a new teaching block at

Government Polytechnic, Manesar on

June 17.

“Haryana has seen immense growth in

the number of polytechnics. The efficiency

of both teachers and students are

imperative for the state’s growth. We must

ensure this type of mutual benefits arising

from education so that the students get

employment,” Hooda said. He also stressed

on starting paramedical vocational prog-

rammes in the community college.

“We started the Community College

Scheme under a public initiative to chalk

out a programme for skill development in

the country. It is an autonomous society

created by the University to provide vocati-

onal education, skill upgradation and

training, which will help the country answer

the problem of skill deficit,” said Vice

Chancellor Prof V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai.

Under this collaboration, five program-

mes have been launched initially —

Diploma in BPO, Finance & Accounting,

Fire Safety, Security Management, Front

Office Management and Housekeeping.

These are tailor-made courses that are

already certified by IGNOU.

Another 20 new programmes will soon be

launched on security, automobile repair,

fabrication, electrical, electronics, informa-

tion and communication technology,

printing, garments, fire safety management,

water harvesting management, tourism and

hotel management, foreign language

(Spanish and French), paralegal, beautician,

creative writing and communication skills,

construction design, transport management

and conductor training, and retailing

management, among others.�

IGNOU OPEN LETTER | JUNE 15, 2011 3

NEWTIE-UP

Haryana-IGNOU Community College at ManesarIGNOU, Haryana government and local industries join hands to provide tailor-made programmes for skill development in a unique collaboration — first of its kind in the country

Haryana Chief Minister Shri Bhupinder Singh Hooda interacting with VC Prof. V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai at the

inauguration of the Haryana-IGNOU Community College in Manesar on June 17.

VC Prof. Pillai, along with IGNOU officials,

outside the Haryana-IGNOU Community

College in Manesar.


INFOCUS � One of the largest universities

in the world

� Over 3.5 million students on rolls

� Largest number of foreign students

among all Indian universities

� Presence in over 40 countries

� Successfully running 67 Partner

Institutions

This piece of information goes on to

show that the Indira Gandhi Na-

tional Open University (IGNOU) is

not just changing the lives of learn-

ers in India, but is also successfully taking

the Indian open learning experience be-

yond the borders of the country. With its

mission of a knowledge society, the Univer-

sity has joined hands with other developing

nations to achieve sustainable develop-

ment across the world. One of the most

prestigious partnerships that IGNOU has

fostered is with the African Union through

the Pan-African e-Network Project — a

showpiece project of the Ministry of Exter-

nal Affairs, Govt. of India, that seeks to

bridge the digital divide across 53 coun-

tries of the African Union and bring tele-ed-

ucation to the African people.

After the success of the Pan-African e-

Network Project, IGNOU is now ready to

take a giant leap and work towards Prime

Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s ambitious

mandate — implementation of the India-

Africa Virtual University (IAVU) project.

“Following the success of the Pan-

African e-Network Project, we propose to

take the next step and establish an India-

Africa Virtual University,” Dr Singh said at

the India-Africa Forum Summit in Addis

Ababa on May 24.

After taking theIndian highereducation beyondthe borders of thecountry, IGNOU isnow ready to powerthe India-AfricaVirtual Universitythat will cementeducational tiesbetween India and Africa

Global Footprints

IGNOU was mandated with formulating

a proposal in consultation with the Ministry

of Human Resource Development. The Uni-

versity has proposed within a period of one

year, a plan of action at a continental level

and an appropriate follow-up mechanism to

implement the virtual university.

“The mission of IAVU is to create condi-

tions that ensure special priority to furthering

Indo-African relations by establishing an edu-

cational link,” says Vice Chancellor Prof V.N.

Rajasekharan Pillai. “IGNOU is in tune with

the changing dynamics and the needs of the

variety of learners. The University upholds the

agenda of internationalisation, seeking to

create a learner-centric global environment

through its programmes,” he adds.

IGNOU first made its international pres-

ence felt in 1994 by making available its

Post-Graduate Diploma and Master’s De-

gree programmes in Distance Education to

students in 19 Commonwealth countries

across Asian, African, Pacific and

Caribbean countries under the Common-

wealth of Learning (COL)-Rajiv Gandhi Fel-

lowship scheme.

To operationalise the global role of

IGNOU, the IGNOU Act was amended in

1997 to pave way for an International Cell.

The Cell was upgraded to a Division in 2002


Growth of Partner InstitutesAdmission StatisticsGrowth of International Division

Growth of Overseas Learners

(Left) Induction programme for learners of the January 2011 batch underway at the St. Mary’s University College in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

B.Com students of the Institute of Modern Technologies, an IGNOU Partner Institution in Sharjah, at their annual outing in Fun City, Dubai.

Year Session

Reg

istr

atio

n

No.

of I

nter

natio

nal P

artn

er In

stitu

tes

with the objectives of promoting the aca-

demic programmes of IGNOU outside India;

establishing bilateral and multi-lateral coop-

eration and exchanges; licensing the course

material of IGNOU to foreign institutions; co-

ordinating the training programmes for the

personnel of Open Universities/institutes

outside India; providing consultancies in

ODL to newly established/needy universi-

ties/institutions outside India; coordinating

international programmes with the regional

and international agencies; and providing

pedagogical and technological support to

Partner Institutes.

“The International Division has marched

to attain the mandated tasks to promote

IGNOU outside India, establishing bilateral

and multilateral cooperation and providing

capacity-building through training and

technological support. The system has at-

tracted learners by its unique features

such as relaxed entry schedule, flexibility

of time and space, its cost effective quality

education, need-based professional

courses and contextualised course curricu-

lum,” says Dr Kusum Sharma, Director,

International Division.

The success of this mandated task can

be corroborated with the fact that the cu-

mulative gross enrollment of overseas stu-

dents till now is more than 35,848 — the

largest among all Indian universities.

On the collaborative and network front,

the Division has adopted a four-fold strategy

— offering its academic programmes in col-

laboration with established higher educa-

tional institutions of repute that are known

for professional delivery mechanisms; shar-

ing IGNOU’s academic resources through li-

censing of course material for adoption and

adaptation in the local educational environ-

ment; capacity-building of ODL institutions

through training, orientation and work-

shops; and ODL institutional building by

sharing the experiences earned by IGNOU,

Dr Sharma adds.

In the Gulf countries, the University has

a presence in UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi

Arabia, Oman and Bahrain. In Saudi Arabia,

IGNOU operates through the Educational

Consulting and Guidance Services (ECGS),

which runs centres in Jeddah, Riyadh and

Dammam.

“IGNOU-Saudi Arabia became the offi-

cial representative of the University in

2004 with 67 students. Today, we have

over 2,500 students. Since its inception,

over 600 students have graduated from

the centre. IGNOU-Saudi Arabia students

have won nine gold medals so far, five of

which were won by M.A. English students,”

says Riaz Mulla, general manager, ECGS.

According to ECGS Director Dr Shahnaz

Patel, “IGNOU has made available opportu-

nities for higher education in Saudi Arabia.

Overall, the students feel that IGNOU has

remained true to its pledge of reaching out

to those in need of education through the

ODL mode of education.”

Amina Nooriya, a learner at the Riyadh

centre, remarks, “IGNOU’s education is


The Indira Gandhi National Open University(IGNOU) announced the details of a virtualuniversity for Africa on May 25, a day after Prime

Minister Manmohan Singh promised such aninstitution at a summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The proposal to establish the Indo-Africa VirtualUniversity (IAVU) was initiated by the Ministry of ExternalAffairs (MEA) and IGNOU was entrusted with theformulation of the proposal. Following the suggestionsfrom the MEA and MHRD, and extending thesuccessfully executed Pan-African E-learning Networkof IGNOU, the final proposal was approved by the MEA.

According to Vice Chancellor Prof V.N.Rajasekharan Pillai, IAVU will ensure Africa-orientededucational programmes are developed effectively infocus areas and fields such as health sciences,vocational education, food and nutritional security, andgender empowerment.

“The India-Africa Virtual University will also augmentthe overall participation of African nations in the globaleducational development process and strengthen inter-regional cooperation between African member nationsand India,” Prof Pillai said, adding that it could takebetween six months and a year to implement.

IGNOU authorities said Africa had burgeoningnumbers of youth, some seven-10 million of whomknock on the doors of the labour market every year,which is a huge opportunity. Yet, of today’s unemployedin the region, 60 percent are youth.

The headquarters of the virtual university isproposed in Ethiopia or Kenya and the initial cost isestimated at Rs.150 crore ($3.5 million), with anannual cost of Rs.100 crore.

The Pan African e-Network Project was conceivedby former President Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam andapproved by the Union Cabinet on 5th July, 2007, at abudgeted cost of Rs. 542.90 crore. The basic objectiveof the Pan-African e-Network project is to assist Africain capacity building by way of imparting quality educationto 10,000 students in Africa over a five-year period.

Under this project, IGNOU is offering MBA, Diplomain Early Childhood Care and Education (DECE) andDiploma in HIV and Family Education (DAFE)programmes to students from the African continent. Theprocess of teaching is by tele-education, with a two-waycommunication link between the students in the Africancountries and the state-of-the-art studio located at theElectronic Media Production Centre, IGNOU.

CONNECTING INDIA,

AFRICA THROUGH E-NETWORK

A learner in Ethiopia interacting with IGNOU

students in India. (Left) Shri Pranab Mukherjee,

then External Affairs Minister, at the

inauguration of the Pan-African e-Network

Project in New Delhi in February 2009.

ageless. Anybody can fulfill his/her dream

of completing higher education at this uni-

versity. IGNOU has provided immense sup-

port to education, particularly girl

education, in Saudi Arabia.”

In Maldives, the partnership is governed

by a tripartite agreement, which includes

Government of Republic of Maldives,

IGNOU and Ministry of External Affairs,

Govt. of India. A similar tripartite agree-

ment involving Govt. of Seychelles, Rajiv

Gandhi Foundation and IGNOU takes care

of the higher educational requirements of

students at Seychelles. In Mauritius,

IGNOU has an agreement with Mauritius

College of Air, an autonomous body under

Govt. of Mauritius. In Vietnam and Myan-

mar, the tie-up is with Distance Learning

institutions - Hanoi Open University in Viet-

nam and University of Distance Education,

Myanmar. In Sri Lanka, the partnership is

with Ministry of Higher Education through

Distance Education Modernisation Project.

Under an MoU with UNESCO, Interna-

tional Institute of Capacity-Building in

Africa (IICBA) and the Commonwealth of

Learning (COL), IGNOU is offering PGDDE

and MADE programmes in Ethiopia, Gam-

bia, Liberia, Ghana, Swaziland, Malawi,

Nigeria, Jamaica, Namibia, Sierra Leone,

Samoa, and Lesotho.

In Europe, IGNOU’s academic pro-

grammes are being offered in London. A

programme with the University of Vienna

for German Language teaching has been

launched, which is a tri-country collabora-

tion with Germany, Austria and

India.

Some of the prominent collab-

orations include: TASMAC London

School of Business, London; Emi-

rates Professional Training Insti-

tute, Sharjah, UAE; University of

Papua New Guinea, New

Guinea; Hautes Etudes Com-

merciales, Abidjan, Ivory

Coast; University of South Pa-

cific, Fiji; National Board of

Higher Education, Eritrea;

Royal Roads University, Victo-

ria, British Columbia, Canada;

Emirates NCC University, Ras-

Al-Khaimah.

The University also plays an

active role in SAARC consor-

tium for Open and Distance

Learning (SACODiL) and Global

Mega Universities Network

(GMUNET).

“The USP of IGNOU is its course mate-

rial, much sought after by open universities

outside India. IGNOU’s course material has

been licensed for a specific period to open

universities in Tanzania, Kenya, Mauritius,

Guyana, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka with the

provision that the University can adopt the

courses in its entirety or modify the courses

to suit their needs,” says Dr Sharma.

The Division, in association with the Ad-

vanced Centre for Informatics & Innovative

Learning (ACIIL), has also launched a

state-of-the-art interactive portal for inter-

national learners and Partner

Institutions. The web portal

provides support for better

programme coordination as

well as guidelines for those in-

terested in working with

IGNOU and is supported by a

Wiki area that allows PIs

to publish information and

interact with their stu-

dents.

“We have ensured that

IGNOU keeps pace with the

changing times. Access to

content is now easy even

for international students.

The web portal enables stu-

dents/lecturers to go

through the online study

material in form of online

blocks for each programme

and individual course,” says

Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof K.R. Srivathsan.

The next step for IGNOU, according to

Dr Sharma, is to extend its canvas to the

untapped areas. “International Division

has initiated the process of contextuali-

sation of material for various countries. It

attempts to augment the quality of the

material by making it more relevant to

the Partner Institutes in various coun-

tries. We aim to involve more govern-

ments/government organisations in

different countries and extend the IGNOU

canvas to more continents of the world,”

Dr Sharma adds.�


“We aim to involve

more governments

and government

organisations in

different countries

and extend the

IGNOU canvas to

more continents of

the world.”— Dr. Kusum Sharma,

Director, ID

Partner Institutions Across the World

�IGNOU will soon launch two new Partner Institutions — Al Hikma Education, Sharjah, and Wisdom Business School FZE, Ras-Al-Khaimah, UAE. �Collaboration talks are in progress with Uganda, Congo and Tanzania.


After making strides in the African

continent through the Pan Africa

e-Network project and the upcom-

ing India-Africa Virtual University,

the Indira Gandhi National Open University

(IGNOU) is now spreading its wings to China.

China has made remarkable improve-

ments in its higher education, owing to the

tremendous economic development in the

country. In order to tap this vast educa-

tional market, as well as stir mutual eco-

nomic gains, both through exchange of

education and students, IGNOU has signed

MoUs with three Universities — Open

University of Hong Kong (OUHK), Hunan

Normal University (HNU) and Qingdao

Technological University Qindao College

(QDC).

“The three institutions have identified

various areas of common interest to foster

academic exchanges and cooperation in

teaching and research,” said Pro-Vice

Chancellor Prof P.R. Ramanujam, who

along with Prof G. Chaudhuri, Director,

School of Foreign Languages, and other

IGNOU officials, visited eight universities

in China.

Apart from the above mentioned univer-

sities, the IGNOU delegation also paid a

visit to Beijing University, Shanghai TV

Open University, Fudan University and the

City University of Hong Kong.

The MoU with the Qingdao Technologi-

cal University was signed on May 13 by

Qingdao University Vice-Chancellor Ms

Xia Jie and Prof Ramanujam, in the pres-

IGNOU makes strides into China to tap the country’s vast educational market by signing MoUs with three world-class universities

CHINA CALLING

SPOTLIGHT

Prof. P.R. Ramanujam and Prof. Danny

Wong of the Open University of Hong Kong

signing the MoU on May 19.

Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof. P.R. Ramanujam, Mr. Yang Dong Qiang and Ms. Xia Jie of the Qingdao Technological

University, and Prof. G. Chaudhuri at the MoU signing in China on May 13.

ence of Mr West Yang, Dean, International

Relations, QDC and Prof Chaudhuri.

According to the MoU, which will be in

effect for two years, the areas of cooper-

ation will include any programmes in the

field of education and research offered by

either institution as felt desirable and

feasible on either side and that contribute

to the fostering and development of the

cooperative relationship between the

two parties.

“Qingdao University has a world-class

infrastructure with nearly 14,000 students

on campus. This MoU is a significant

development, as a Face-to-Face University

has shown interest in collaborating with

IGNOU,” said Prof Chaudhuri.

In its commitment to foster internation-

alisation of education, IGNOU inked an-

other MoU with the Hunan Normal

University on May 16. The MoU, signed by

Prof Ramanujam and HNU Vice President

Mr Jiang Hongxin, entails that both the

Universities will start a cooperative pro-

gramme in teaching, scientific research,

faculty and student exchange.

According to the MoU, both the univer-

sities will accept professors from both the

institutions as exchange of teachers; both

the universities will accept students from

each other as exchange students to study

in their universities for one semester or ac-

ademic year; HNU will accept self-financed

students and short-term student groups

from IGNOU to study Chinese language,

culture, history, fine arts, and other related

subjects; both universities will exchange

books, learning resources and magazines

written by and officially published by teach-

ers of the respective universities.

“Both the Universities will develop coop-

erative scientific research projects that are

beneficial to both the parties and have

agreed to maintain equity in the number of

exchange students,” Prof Ramanujam said.

IGNOU and the Open University of Hong

Kong committed themselves to develop

various forms of cooperation and collabo-

rations by inking an MoU on May 19. The

MoU was signed between Prof Ramanujam

and Prof Danny Wong, Vice President (Aca-

demic), OUHK.

As per the MoU, both the universities

will develop and share course material and

services for lifelong learning within their

local and international jurisdictions; both

the universities will collaborate on re-

search activities, and the joint develop-

ment of course curriculum and material in

areas of mutual interest; they will also pro-

vide assistance to each other, wherever

possible and practical, through support

such as, but not limited to expertise in in-

structional design, multimedia technology,

graphic design, training, publishing, and

visits or exchanges of personnel on mutu-

ally agreeable terms.

“This is the first time an Indian University

has gone to China and tried to get connected

with the country’s higher education system.

So far, the connection between China and

India has been restricted to a governmental

basis. However, IGNOU is the first University

in India to come out with such an initiative,

at least with regards to the universities we

visited,” remarked Prof Chaudhuri.�


CHINA ON THE CUSP

In the present-day world, a crucial benchmarkto define a global superpower is the sheer size

and prestige of its higher education system.

While the United States is still the global higher

education “superpower”, the immense

educational development in China and India in

recent years have brought the two countries not

far behind. China’s higher education institutions

had nearly 31 million students in 2010, an

increase of 35 percent compared to 2005, and

almost double compared to 2002, according to

China’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

With an annual international student growth rate

of 7 percent, international student numbers will

reach at least 500,000 by 2020, making it the

biggest hosting country in Asia and possibly the

number two world destination after the US.

China now has eight universities in the top 200

plus another one if you include Hong Kong -

according to the 2011 World University

Ranking of the Top 200 Colleges and

Universities in the world by the 4icu.org

University Web Ranking. Across Asia as a

whole, the number of universities in the top 100

has risen to 30.

Chinese University World Ranking

Peking University 8

Shanghai Jiaotong University 10

Xi’an Jiaotong University 12

Tsinghua University 13

Fudan University 16

Zhejiang University 23

Nanjing University 25

Renmin University of China 72

The University of Hong Kong 109

Pro-VC Prof. P.R. Ramanujam and Mr. Jiang Hongxin of Hunan Normal University signing the

MoU on May 16.

SOME TOP CHINESE VARSITIES

10

FIRSTPERSON


China visit: some reflections

IGNOU organised a two-day national conference on “Innovation inEducational Approaches to Indian Sign Language” on June 10-11.

The conference aimed at drawing attention to an array of academic

and social issues, and ways to improve access to all those areas

where improvement is essential to promote the active inclusion of

the hearing-impaired learners in education.

IGNOU is running India’s first B.A. Programme in Applied Sign

Language Studies (BAASLS) as well as a Bachelor’s Preparation

Programme for Deaf Students (BPPDS). “At IGNOU, it is innovation

in every sense. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment,

considering the innovations of IGNOU in this field, approached us

to congratulate our efforts,” said Vice Chancellor Prof V.N.

Rajasekharan Pillai. He further announced the University’s plans

to build an ‘Indian Sign Language Institute’ in the campus soon.

Pro-VC Prof P.R. Ramanujam said, “The BAASLS programme can

go further with sustainable support from IGNOU.”

Conference on Sign Language

My first impressions

about China were

formed by the stun-

ningly modern Bei-

jing Airport that got a facelift

just before the Olympics in

2008. From the airport I went

straight to the UNESCO Office

where I had a three-hour de-

tailed discussion with Abhi-

manyu Singh, UNESCO Director, Beijing, to

get a broad picture of the present-day Chi-

nese higher education. On my way to the

hotel, I could see the impressive develop-

ment of China’s infrastructure.

The meetings that me and my colleague

Dr G. Chaudhuri had with the Centre for

China Culture Studies gave us an opportu-

nity to see the sprawling Campus of the Bei-

jing University, which rivals Oxford and

Cambridge. The rigour of scholarship, the

calibre of faculty, the deep involvement of

the students in their studies, including

studying Sanskrit, and the five-star facilities

available to students, made me think about

the sorry state of affairs even in the best

Universities in India. I also often thought

about IGNOU’s road and could not resist

comparing it with the imperious gateways of

Beijing University. I felt proud that IGNOU,

the largest University in the World, has been

able to do so much under the given physical,

infrastructure and other limitations.

The China Open University has excellent

infrastructure facilities, although many of

us in India think that Open Universities

need not have campuses that “normal” Uni-

versities have. As we travelled to the beau-

tiful southern city of Qingdao to

visit Qingdao University of Tech-

nology, my impression about

China’s Higher Education was

further strengthened. The Vice

President and the International

Director of the University

arranged our meetings in the

students’ canteen, which

looked like a private dining

room of a five-star hotel. We were taken on

a guided tour to see the excellent aca-

demic buildings, student hostels, gymnasi-

ums, a common swimming pool, students

club, etc., which accommodate 14,000

students — Chinese and International.

After signing an MoU with Qingdao Uni-

versity of Technology, we flew to the well

known Hunan Province to sign another

MOU with the Hunan Normal University,

which is located on a campus of 12,000 sq

km with 30,000 students and over 3,000

faculty members.

English Language is gaining importance

in Chinese Universities, colleges and

schools. Shanghai has 22 Universities, out

of which we got a chance to visit two –

Shanghai TV University (which has the

most sophisticated media facilities and can

be a learning centre for our media centres

and computer units), and Fudan University

which is ranked number two in China. In

both the Universities, I could see excellent

facilities and academic environment that

can easily stand comparison with the top

class universities of the Western World.

Our last phase of the exploratory tour

was in Hong Kong, which has seven Univer-

sities, including the Hong Kong Open Uni-

versity. Fourteen of the Chinese universi-

ties figure in the top 100 universities of the

World, of which six are from Hong Kong it-

self. The only University left out in Hong

Kong is the Open University, which also

may catch up with the others in the next

few years. Hong Kong Open University has

about 100,000 students, of which 5,000

are from face-to-face stream. We signed an

MOU with the Hong Kong Open University

as well. The most satisfying experience for

me was with the Library of the City Univer-

sity of Hong Kong, which has 9,00,000 vol-

umes, a few thousand periodicals and

11,00,000 digitised books and journals.

With all our achievements in the expan-

sion of our educational system at all levels,

we should admit that we have to go a long

way to catch up with China in terms of quan-

tity and quality. Even in recent reports, no

Indian university/institution figures in the

top 100 universities of the world, or even

among the top 200. Only one institution i.e.

Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai, gets

a mention with a rank of 187!

In terms of research, innovations, use of

technology, development of infrastructure,

academic excellence, we may have some

modest achievements of individuals, but

hardly any institutions. My humble opinion

is that we are yet to create a University in

India in its complete sense. I am fully

aware of Nalanda, Takshila, Kanchipuram

and other Universities of ancient India, but

I am eager to see their counterparts in the

modern and much more globalised India

today! — Pro-VC Prof P.R. Ramanujam

The national conference on Sign Language underway at IGNOU campus.

IGNOU’s Centre for Corporate

Education, Training & Consultancy

(CCETC) and School of Agriculture

(SOA) have signed a Memorandum of

Understanding (MoU) with Food

Safety and Standards Authority of

India (FSSAI) to develop training

modules on food safety and hygiene

for housewives in their pursuit to

learning and acquiring certain skills in

respect of food safety.

The MoU was signed between

IGNOU Registrar (Admin) U.S. Tolia

and FSSAI Director Asim Choudhary.

According to the MoU, IGNOU shall

develop training modules on food

safety for housewives/young girls by

constituting a group to develop

training module, which will have a

book form with questions and self

assessment format.

A separate CD shall also be

developed containing the study

material and questions for use by the

students, along with an online platform

for easy access to reading material.


NEWSUPDATES

The Indira Gandhi National Open Uni-

versity’s (IGNOU) Centre for Corpo-

rate Education, Training and

Consultancy (CCETC) and School of Agri-

culture (SOA) have signed a Memoran-

dum of Understanding (MoU) with the

Bankers Institute of Rural Development

(BIRD) to offer a fully residential pro-

gramme — Post-Graduate Diploma in

Rural Banking (PGDRB).

The MoU was signed by IGNOU Regis-

trar (Admin) U.S. Tolia and Sanjit Kumar

Chatterjee, Director, BIRD, in the pres-

ence of Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof K.R.

Srivathsan.

The one-year programme, to com-

mence from the July 2011 session, aims

to develop a competent cadre of

professionals in rural banking offered by

BIRD, Lucknow, an autonomous society

promoted by the National Bank for

Agriculture and Rural Development

(NABARD).

With this MoU, both IGNOU and BIRD

aim to bridge the gap between pro-

grammes currently available and pro-

grammes required by the market for

producing professionals by enhancing

their capacities for overall rural develop-

ment. It also focusses on having joint

programmes to address the current and

emerging needs of the agriculture and

rural sector.

Graduates in any discipline with mini-

mum 50 percent aggregate marks and

45 percent marks for reserved category

are eligible to apply for the programme.

The age limit for the programme is set

at 25 years as on 1st July, 2011, and 30

years for those in service.�

Rural Banking to get a boost

Pro-VC Prof. K.R. Srivathsan, along with other dignitaries, at the MoU signing ceremony.

factoids Centre for Corporate Education, Training & Consultancy will

launch an MBA Programme in ODL mode in collaboration with the

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Govt. of India.

CCETCSCAN

MoU with FSSAI

IGNOU’s Cochin Regional Centreheld the 23rd Convocation on May

28. As many as 17 students were

awarded Diplomas in Advanced

Airport Operations Management and

Advanced Air Cargo Management --

programmes offered jointly by the

Centre for Corporate Education,

Training & Consultancy (CCETC),

IGNOU and the CIAL Academy, an

arm of the Cochin International

Airport.

CCETC’s collaboration with CIAL

has resulted in a slew of unique

programmes aimed at churning out

qualified professionals to service

India’s burgeoning aviation sector.

CIAL students get Diplomas

� Joint Programme in Rural Banking, leading

to PGDRB

� Executive Certificate Course in Rural

Banking

� Short-term Training programmes for

in-service executives of Banks, MFIs/NGOs,

government development departments and

other development organisations

� Short-term Orientation programmes for

newly recruited officers of the Indian

Administrative and Economic Services

� Collaboration with IGNOU’s School of

Agriculture (SOA) as per mutually

agreed terms

MUTUAL AREAS

12

23RDCONVOCATION


Indira Gandhi National Open Uni-

versity (IGNOU) will hold its Con-

vocation twice-a-year from now

on. The Academic Council and uni-

versity authorities have finalised the

procedure for the same, announced

Vice Chancellor Prof V.N. Rajasekha-

ran Pillai.

Addressing the 23rd Convocation

of IGNOU at Siri Fort Auditorium in

New Delhi on May 26, Prof Pillai de-

clared that IGNOU shall hold its Con-

vocation after each semester exam

results — one in April and the other

in October. This is a path breaking

initiative implemented for the first

time in any university in India.

Around 9,000 students were

awarded Degrees, Diplomas and Cer-

tificates at the 23rd Convocation.

There were nine Gold medallists —

Manoj Jain - DSM, Priya Singh -

PGDCA, Vasantha Kumar K. -

PGDDM, Anju - MPS, Musadhique

K.P. - MSO, Shazia Aslam - BLS,

Charu Goyal - M.COM, Vivek Man-

chanda- PGDHHM, and Geetika

Bindlish - MCA.

The 23rd Convocation was for

candidates who have completed

their respective programmes and ap-

peared for examination in December

2010. The University declared the re-

sults within record 45 days through

decentralised evaluation. IGNOU

holds its Term-End Examination

twice-a-year in June and December.

Prof U.R. Ananthamurthy, former

President of National Book Trust and

Sahitya Akademi, and Chair Profes-

sor of the Tagore Chair for Indian Lit-

erature at IGNOU, delivered the

convocation address. He empha-

sised that a good inspiring teacher

is often difficult to find in creative

engagement with social sci-

ences.

“While good teaching

may be lacking, research

goes on often as a cut and

paste exercise. Teaching

quality is notoriously difficult

to measure but research can

be quantified. Many teachers

acquire fame through the

number of papers they may

have mechanically produced

without making a contribution.

What is expected of the stu-

dent in humanities and social

sciences is ideological conform-

ity rather than critical ap-

praisal,” Prof Ananthamurthy

said.

Unfortunately in

some of our universi-

ties, we have social

science and humani-

ties departments with

one or two creative

scholars and a larger

number of efficient but

mediocre teachers. At

best, they teach what is

politically correct and

generally acceptable,

and the learner’s mind is

not awakened to uncon-

ventional enquiry. The

physical science teaching

and research may be

slightly better than this in

almost every university,

he added.

Dr Sanjeev Pandey, Re-

gional Director, Regional

Centre Delhi-1, organised

the Convocation on behalf

of all the Regional Centres

of Delhi & NCR.�

Convocation ceremonySoon after its 22nd Convocation, IGNOU celebrates its 23rdgraduation ceremony, making the Convocation a bi-annual affair — a path breaking initiative implemented for the first time by any university in India

1

3


y now twice a year

Padma Shri K. Viswanathan, Director, Mitraniketan People’s College, Thiruvananthapuram,

Kerala, receiving the Gold Medal for the Best Community College during the 23rd Convocation

at IGNOU Regional Centre, Kaloor, Cochin, on May 28.

Best Community College Award for Cochin College

2

1. A learner receiving a degree from Vice Chancellor Prof. V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai and Chief

Guest Prof. U.R. Ananthamurthy at the 23rd Convocation. 2. VC Prof. Pillai, Prof.

Ananthamurthy, Pro-Vice Chancellors, Directors of the Schools/Divisions and Regional

Directors of Delhi-NCR region at the ceremony. 3. Prof. Ananthamurthy delivering the

Convocation Address.

14

23RDCONVOCATION


A second time for

1. K. Jayakumar, Additional Chief Secretary,

Govt. of Kerala, delivering the Convocation

Address at RC Cochin.

2. A learner receiving a degree from Chief

Guest Michael Vetha Siromony, Director and

VC, Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth

Development, at RC Chennai.

3. A learner receiving a degree at RC Port Blair.

4. The Governor of Gujarat Dr. Shrimati Kamalaji

with learners at RC Ahmedabad.

5. Chief Guest Prof. Naresh Dadhich, VC,

Vardhaman Mahaveer Open University, Kota,

at RC Jaipur.

6. Chief Guest Prof. I.A. Hamal, VC, Baba Gulam

Shah Badshah University, with learners at RC

Jammu.

The Regional Centres of the Indira Gandhi National Open University

were not far behind in celebrating the 23rd Convocation. Ahmed-

abad Regional Centre held its 23rd Convocation on May 27.

As many as 2,980 learners received Degrees, Diplomas and

Certificates at the event, graced by Her Excellency, the Governor of

Gujarat, Dr Shrimati Kamalaji.

“Since its inception, IGNOU has established itself as a leading uni-

versity in the country and has attracted more than 3.5 million learners.

Today, almost 10 percent students enrolled in higher education sector

all over the country are studying in IGNOU,” said Dr Kamalaji in her Con-

vocation Address.

“The graduates who are receiving their degrees today should show

their concern towards the welfare of the underprivileged and should work

for the upliftment of this section,” she added.

The 23rd Convocation for learners of Chennai and Madurai Regions

was held on May 30 at A.A. Shukhoor Auditorium in Chennai. Micheal

Vetha Siromony, IAS, Director and Vice Chancellor, Rajiv Gandhi National

Institute of Youth Development, Sriperumbudur, was the Chief Guest at the

event. Nearly 1,304 students received their degrees, diplomas and certifi-

cates in person.

The convocation ceremony at RC Cochin saw 1,983 students from three re-

gional centres of IGNOU — Cochin, Thiruvananthapuram and Vadakara receiv-

ing their degrees.

Regional Centre Jammu organised the event on May 27 at J&K Academy of

Art, Culture & Languages (Abhinav Theatre) Auditorium in Jammu. Prof I.A.

Hamal, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, Baba Gulam Shah Badshah University, was the

Chief Guest at the occasion and awarded Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates

to eligible learners.

Shakti Sinha, IAS, Chief Secretary, Andaman and Nicobar Administration,

was the Chief Guest at the convocation ceremony at RC Port Blair.�

1 2

3


r RCs too

6

5

4


MILESTONESONCAMPUS

Teleconference on EDUSAT

November, 2004: Vice Chancellor Prof H.P.

Dikshit addresses a teleconferencing session

on ‘EDUSAT - Capabilities, Benefits and

Challenges’ at EMPC, IGNOU.

December, 2004: Shri Oscar Fernandes, Minister

of State for Statistics, attends a nationwide

special teleconferencing session on HIV-AIDS.

� Network of Gyan Vani FM Radio stations

widens with the commencement of

experimental Gyan Vani broadcasts from

Varanasi and Mysore.

January, 2005: The first conference of the

SAARC Consortium of Open and Distance

Learning (SACODiL) is held at EMPC, IGNOU.

First SACODiL meet

Upcoming Events

IGNOU’s School of Foreign Languages

(SOFL) organised a special seminar to

mark the ‘Russian Language Day’ as well

as commemorate the 212th birth

anniversary of the Great Russian writer

Alexander Pushkin. The seminar was

followed by the screening of a Russian film,

said Prof Shivaji Bhaskar of SOFL.

The seminar was attended by eminent

guests like Evgeny Kravchenko, Second

Secretary, Embassy of The Russian

Federation, New Delhi; Prof Sankar Basu,

Former Dean, JNU and Ajoy Karnati of JNU.�

Shri Deepak

Dwivedi, Director,

NAFED, has been

appointed Advisor to

the Vice Chancellor at

IGNOU. Dwivedi has

more than 20 years

of wide ranging

experience in some of

the top media groups.

He is also an Expert Editor in the

National Museum Institute (Deemed

University), Ministry of Culture, GOI.�

Russian Language Day New advisor to VC

1. 16th Professor G. Ram Reddy Memorial

Lecture by Dr. C.P. Joshi, Union Minister for Road

Transport & Highways — July 2, at Convention

Centre, IGNOU, New Delhi.

2. Inauguration of new Administration Block and

Offices of Vice Chancellor and Pro-Vice

Chancellors — July 2.

3. World Education Summit — July 13-16, at

Hotel Ashoka, New Delhi.

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

HIGHLIGHTS JUNE-JULY 2011

Gangaur is one of the

most impor-

tant festivals

of people of

Rajasthan

and is ob-

served with

great fervour

and devotion by

womenfolk who worship

Gauri, the consort of

Lord Shiva.

Earth's solar system is

comprised of

the Sun, nine

major planets,

some 100,000

asteroids

larger than

0.6 mi (1 km)

in diameter, and perhaps

1 trillion cometary nuclei.

Our planet appears to be

big and sturdy with an

endless ocean of air.

The caste system is a

system of social

restriction in India in

which commu-

nities are

defined by

thousands of

hereditary

groups called

Jatis.Castes were consid-

ered to be the central fea-

ture of people's identities

in ancient Indian history.

It is a harvest festival

where people celebrate

the year's production of

rice by treating

themselves

and friends

with a special

sweet-dish

made from rice and milk

called payash. The festival

falls on the same day

every year i.e. the 14th of

January

Poultry farming is the prac-

tice of raising domesticated

birds such as chickens,

ducks, and

geese, as a

subcategory

of animal

husbandry,

for the pur-

pose of farm-

ing meat or eggs for food.

More than 50 billion chick-

ens are reared annually as

a source of food

Captain Laxmi SehgalCaptain Laxmi Sehgal is one of the lion hearted women India

ever had. She picked up the gun for the Indian National Army

(INA) founded by Netaji Subash Chandra Bose and led it like a

tigress for the struggle for India's freedom.

Dilli Jo Ek Shaher Tha Part-1Delhi has a long history as the capital of several empires.

The earliest architectural relics date back to the Maurya Pe-

riod (c. 300 BC); since then, the city has seen continuous set-

tlement.

The Earth And

The Solar System

Castes in

India Festival Food - Poush

Sankranti

Vocational: Poultry

Farming

Vision Beyond Sight,

Rang-eela Rajasthan –

Gangaur

GYANDARSHAN

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

In a bid to foster an in-depth

discussion mapping the various

aspects of imparting quality education

to students of B-Schools in India,

Dainik Bhaskar Group organised the

National Education Summit in New

Delhi on June 11. Seen in the photo,

Union HRD Minister Shri Kapil Sibal,

VC Prof. V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai and

Shri Ramesh Chandra Agarwal,

Chairman, Dainik Bhaskar Group,

inaugurating the National Education

Summit 2011: ‘Bridging the Quality

Gap’ at The Oberoi, New Delhi.

NATIONAL EDUCATION SUMMIT

Deepak Dwivedi.

open letter june for web

Documents

sign language education

indian sign language

quality education

sign language institute

ukindia education

teleeducation network

ethos of ignou

research initiative