Indira Gandhi National Open University

This article is about the open university in New Delhi, India. For other uses, see Indira Gandhi University (disambiguation).

Indira Gandhi National Open University
Logo of IGNOU
MottoThe People's University
TypePublic university
Established1985; 39 years ago (1985)
FounderGovernment of India
AccreditationNAAC
Academic affiliations
ChancellorPresident of India
Vice-ChancellorUma Kanjilal (acting)
StudentsCumulative enrolment of nearly 4.3 million[1][2]
Location
Maidan Garhi
,
Delhi
,
India
Regional centres67
ColoursDeep Sky Blue  
Websitewww.ignou.ac.in

Indira Gandhi National Open University, known as IGNOU, is a public distance learning university located in New 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).[3] IGNOU is run by the central government of India, and with a total active enrollment of over 4 million students, it is the largest university in the world.[4][5]

IGNOU was founded to serve the Indian population by means of distance and open education, providing quality higher education opportunities to all segments of society. It also aims to encourage, coordinate and set standards for distance and open education in India, and to strengthen the human resources of India through education.[6][7] Apart from teaching and research, extension and training form the mainstay of its academic activities. It also acts as a national resource center, and serves to promote and maintain standards of distance education in India.[7] IGNOU hosts the Secretariats of the SAARC Consortium on Open and Distance Learning (SACODiL) and the Global Mega Universities Network (GMUNET), initially supported by UNESCO.

IGNOU has started a decentralisation process[8] by setting up five zones: north, south, east, west and north-east. The first of the regional headquarters, catering to four southern states, Pondicherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep, is being set up on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.[citation needed] The Ministry of Education has entrusted the responsibility of developing a Draft Policy on Open and Distance Learning and Online Courses to IGNOU.[9] IGNOU also partners up with other organizations to launch courses. IGNOU offers a BBA in Retail distance learning course in association with Retailers Association of India (RAI).[10]

Recently, the university has implemented the CBCS method to the various bachelor's degree courses including BA, BAVTM, BCOM, BSC, and others. As per the new CBCS system, the examination will be conducted through the semester system that was earlier conducted on an annual mode.

  1. ^ "Profile of IGNOU - Preamble". Indira Gandhi National Open University. Archived from the original on 27 June 2020. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  2. ^ Gohain, Manash Pratim (14 October 2019). "In 9 yrs, number of SC students at Ignou rose by 248%, STs by 172%". The Times of India. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  3. ^ "Indira Gandhi National Open University, 1985" (PDF). Government of India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 April 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
  4. ^ Creating Accessible Online Instruction Using Universal Design Principles: A LITA Guide, p. 103, Brady Lund, Rowman & Littlefield.
  5. ^ "Constant learning through distance education". Deccan Herald. 6 June 2013. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  6. ^ IGNOU Website: Objectives Archived 23 April 2007 at the Wayback Machine (URL last accessed on 29 April 2007)
  7. ^ a b "About IGNOU". Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  8. ^ CORRESPONDENT, A. SPECIAL (14 July 2011). "Success story". Frontline. Retrieved 8 September 2020. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  9. ^ "IGNOU - Announcements - Latest - New Education Policy: Survey on Open and Distance Learning and Online Courses". ignou.ac.in. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
  10. ^ "Retail through distance mode". The Times of India.