Distance Learning Distance Education

Indira Gandhi National Open University


Indira Gandhi National Open University

http://www.ignou.ac.in/

IGNOU Distance Learning Courses
Andhra Pradesh
IGNOU Distance Learning Courses
West Bengal  
IGNOU Distance Learning Courses
Delhi
IGNOU Distance Learning Courses
Karnataka  
IGNOU Distance Learning Courses
Goa
IGNOU Distance Learning Courses
Gujrat  
IGNOU Distance Learning Courses
Haryana
IGNOU Distance Learning Courses
Jammu Kashmir  
IGNOU Distance Learning Courses
Madhya Pradesh
IGNOU Distance Learning Courses
Kerala  
IGNOU Distance Learning Courses
Orissa
IGNOU Distance Learning Courses
Punjab  
IGNOU Distance Learning Courses
Rajasthan
IGNOU Distance Learning Courses
Tamil Nadu  
IGNOU Distance Learning Courses
Uttranchal
IGNOU Distance Learning Courses
Uttar Pradesh  
IGNOU Distance Learning Courses
Bihar
IGNOU Distance Learning Courses
Arunachal Pradesh  
IGNOU Distance Learning Courses
Assam
IGNOU Distance Learning Courses
Chhattisgarh  
IGNOU Distance Learning Courses
Himachal Pradesh
IGNOU Distance Learning Courses
Jharkhand  
IGNOU Distance Learning Courses
Maharashtra
IGNOU Distance Learning Courses
Manipur  
IGNOU Distance Learning Courses
Meghalaya
IGNOU Distance Learning Courses
Mizoram  
IGNOU Distance Learning Courses
Nagaland
IGNOU Distance Learning Courses
Sikkim  
IGNOU Distance Learning Courses
Srinagar
IGNOU Distance Learning Courses
Tripura  

Today, the Open Learning System through the distance mode of education has come to be accepted as a well - relevant to and necessary for meeting the emerging demands of our society. Because of its inherent potential and flexibility, the open learning system has spread over more than 105 countries through 900 institutions, which offer well over 16,000 courses to some 18 million learners all over the world.

In India, the Open Learning System through IGNOU at the national level and 9 State Open Universities at the State levels has taken root in the country. This is in addition to more than 53 institutes/directorates of distance/open education located in the conventional system, which are also a part of the open learning system in India. The inherent flexibility of the system, particularly its potential to reach a large number of learners simultaneously with relevant programmes, enables it to cater to the needs of a varied clientele.

The areas hitherto untouched by the conventional system have now gradually been taken care of by the open learning system. The Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University (YCMOU) conducts programmes in home gardening, fruit production, vegetable production, floriculture and landscape gardening for farmers, farm labourers and rural youth. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University, Hyderabad offers programmes in mushroom cultivation. U.P. Rajarshi Tandon Open University offers a programme in Desk Top Publishing. At the National Open School, vocational education is being offered along side the formal academic courses. The areas addressed under vocational education at the School level by NOS include engineering and technology, agriculture, business and commerce, home science, health and paramedical studies and computers.

IGNOU has been making pioneering efforts in offering programmes in as many as 50 areas covering a very wide range of subjects such as computers, nursing, management, creative writing, rural development, Panchayati Raj, disaster management, participatory forest management, tourism, women's empowerment and so on. Keeping in view the challenge of reaching millions of un-reached people spread throughout the country with an effective multi-media package, which will not only help to overcome illiteracy but also help to generate employment potential, the open learning system happens to be the chosen mode for such programmes of education and training.

Existing Scenario in Distance Education in India

Open Learning System (OLS)

The Open Learning System has been popular through distance education programme all over the world. In the Indian context, the ideas of Universalisation of Elementary Education and democratisation of education as a whole have strengthened the base of OLS. The School of Correspondence Courses and Continuing Education (Delhi University), set up in 1962, was the first correspondence school in India. At present, there are 64 dual mode universities, which offer correspondence courses in different fields leading to diplomas and degrees.

Open Universities

The idea of establishing an Open University to offer quality education to the "much larger body of population, which remains outside the university system" was proposed as early as 1970 in a seminar organised by Government of India. Following the recommendation of the seminar, the Government of India appointed an eight-member Working Group, which recommended the establishment of an Open University. The Government of Andhra Pradesh established the first Open University, Andhra Pradesh Open University in August 1982 (renamed as Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University (BRAOU) in 1991) . The actual functioning of the APOU started during 1983-84 session. The union government made a policy statement for established of a National Open University in 1985. The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) came into being in 1985 by an Act of Parliament. IGNOU is one of the largest distance education networks in the world. Encouraged by the success of IGNOU and BRAOU, other states like Rajasthan, Bihar, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, West Bengal, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh have established sate open Universities. Following are the Open Universities in India:

1. Indira Gandhi National Open University
2. Dr. B R Ambedkar Open University (earlier known as Andhra Pradesh Open University) (Andhra Pradesh)
3. Yashwantrao Chauhan Maharashtra Open University (Maharashtra)
4. Kota Open University (Rajasthan)
5. Nalanda Open University (Bihar)
6. Madhya Pradesh Bhoj (Open) University (Madhya Pradesh)
7. Karnataka State Open University (Karnataka)
8. Baba Saheb Ambedkar Open University (Gujarat)
9. Netaji Subhas Open University (West Bengal)
10. Rajarshi Tandon U P Open University (Uttar Pradesh)