Indira Gandhi National Open University

Motto	The People's University
Type	Public university
Established	1985 (1985)
Founder	Government of India
Accreditation	NAAC
Academic affiliations	UGC AIU AICTE COL DEC
Chancellor	President of India
Vice-Chancellor	Nageshwar Rao[1]
Students	Cumulative enrolment of nearly 4.3 million[2][3]
Location	Maidan Garhi , Delhi , India
Regional centres	67
Colours	Deep Sky Blue
Website	ignou.ac.in

Indira Gandhi National Open University, known as IGNOU, is a public distance learning university located in Delhi, India. Named after the former Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi, the university was established in 1985 with a budget of ₹20 million, after the Parliament of India passed the Indira Gandhi National Open University Act, 1985 (IGNOU Act 1985).^[4]

History

Dipanshu Sharma, the Ministry of Education and Social Welfare organized a seminar on 'Open University' in collaboration with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the UGC, and the Indian National Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO. After the seminar recommendation, an open university in India was established on an experimental basis. Starting in 1974, the government of India appointed an eight-member working group on the open university, the leading role was given to G. Parthasarathi, the then Vice-Chancellor of the Jawaharlal Nehru University.

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

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

The front gate of the university campus in New Delhi

In 1985, the Union Government made a policy statement for the establishment of a national open university. A Committee was constituted by the Ministry of Education to chalk out the plan of action for the National Open University. Based on the report of the Committee, the Union Government introduced a bill in Parliament. In August 1985, both the Houses of Parliament passed the bill. Subsequently, the Indira Gandhi National Open University came into existence on 20 September 1985, named after the late prime minister.

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

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

As of 2011 IGNOU has served over 3 million students in India and 40 other countries abroad.^[7] These are UAE, UK, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Mauritius, Maldives, Ethiopia, Namibia, Kenya, Myanmar, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Fiji, France, Ghana, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Madagascar, Liberia, West Indies, Samoa, Lesotho, Malawi, Switzerland, Nigeria, Mongolia, and Zambia.

Schools

IGNOU has 21 schools and a network of 56 ^[8] regional centres, 1843 study centres, and 21 overseas centres (in 15 countries). Approximately 20% of all students enrolled in higher education in India are enrolled with IGNOU.^[9] IGNOU offers 226 academic programs comprising courses at certificate, diploma, and degree levels.

Institutes, Cells, Centres, Units

Accreditation & recognition

(IGNOU) has been granted the authority to confer degrees by Clause 5(1)(iii) of the IGNOU Act 1985. IGNOU is also recognised as a Central University by the University Grants Commission of India (UGC).^[10] The Association of Indian Universities (AIU) recognises IGNOU conferred degrees as on par with the degrees conferred by its members^[11][12] and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) recognises the Master of Computer Applications and Master of Business Administration program of IGNOU.^[13]

In 1993, IGNOU was designated by the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) as its first Centre of Excellence for Distance Education empowered "to actively participate in Commonwealth co-operative endeavours to identify, nurture, and strengthen open learning institutions throughout the Commonwealth, particularly in the Third World ..".^[14]

IGNOU also operates as an accreditor for open university and distance education systems in India through the Distance Education Council (DEC). Authority to do so is granted under Clause 16 and Statute 28 of the IGNOU Act 1985.^[15]

IGNOU is accredited by National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) with the highest grade of A++.^[16]

Convocations in the past

See also

• List of universities in India
• Universities and colleges in India
• Education in India
• Education in Delhi
• Distance Education Council
• University Grants Commission (India)
• National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS)

References

External links

• Official website

28°29′40″N 77°12′16″E / 28.4945°N 77.2045°E / 28.4945; 77.2045