Open Letter - May Edition

IGNOU OPEN LETTER | MAY 15, 20102

As an inclusive institution, it is a part of IGNOU’s mandate toreach the unreachable, the underprivileged and thedifferently-abled. It is for this reason that the University’s

educational and vocational programmes are geared to ensure thatpeople at the margins of our society are able to equip themselveswith the knowledge and skills required to confidently join themainstream.

Our cover story this month highlights just one of the many waysin which IGNOU fulfills its mandate. Its School of Agriculture hasbeen reaching out to — and helping improve the lives of — thefarming community in the North-east, one of the most neglected

and under-developed regions of ourcountry. Our efforts are bearing fruit andwe are dramatically and visibly making apositive impact on the lives andlivelihoods of farmers in the North-east.

This, however, is only one of themany initiatives undertaken by theUniversity in the North-east. Few areperhaps aware that IGNOU has a largerpresence in the North-eastern regionthan any other national institution oflearning (see map on page 6) and iscontributing significantly to the overall,

holistic development of the region.Anchoring these initiatives is the Educational Development of

North East Region Unit (EDNERU). Initially set up as the North-EastProject in 2000, it was given a larger role, more funds and a newname in 2007. It is under EDNERU that the IGNOU Institute forVocational Education and Training (IIVET) operates in Shillong.IIVET’s main objective is to identify and develop relevant, need-based vocational programmes and train youth so as to enhancetheir employment opportunities.

IGNOU also runs the North East Centre for Research andDevelopment (NECRD), a think-tank to promote research anddevelopmental activities in the region in collaboration with localpolicy, educational and developmental centres, NGOs, otherresearch organisations, institutes and universities. There are about40 Ph.D. students on Research and Teaching Assistantshipscurrently working on NECRD projects across the North-east.

The Institute for Professional Competency Advancement ofTeachers (IPCAT) provides crucial training for untrained teachers ofthe region as well as continuous training for those in service,through the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) mode using multi-media technology.

IGNOU is also playing a key role in promoting indigenous artsand culture in the North-east. In collaboration with the North EastZonal Cultural Centre at Dimapur, Nagaland, IGNOU’s School ofPerforming and Visual Arts has formulated the CertificateProgramme in Indigenous Art Practices that grants certification toseveral traditional art forms.

The University has signed a Memorandum of Cooperation withthe Foundation for the Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions,Bangalore, to offer a six-month residential programme to trainunemployed youth of the North-east region as ayurveda therapists.This is a project run under the Department of AYUSH of theGovernment of India.

These and several other focused vocational programmes arecreating vast opportunities for unemployed youth, and will hopefullysteer them towards gainful employment in this troubled yetstrategically important region.

4

CONTENTS

Empowering Farmers

Ready to Serve

IN FOCUS: Farmers in the remote Garo-Khasiand Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya are beingtrained by IGNOU in scientific agriculturalpractices and buildingmarket linkages

GYAN DEEP...................10

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

REGIONAL UPDATES .....15

STUDENTS’ CORNER.....15

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

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

8 SPOTLIGHT: IGNOU’s Certificate courses in thetourism and hospitality sector in Madhya Pradeshhave helped rural youth receive lucrative offers at top-notch city hotels

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FROMTHE VICE CHANCELLOR

V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai

IGNOU OPEN LETTER | MAY 15, 2010 3

IGNITE2010

IGNOU’s first ever inter-school quizCan you name the little lamp that

shuttled to fame amid chants forpeace or a banker who wrotebooks like ‘Big Money’ and

‘Do Butlers Burgle Banks?’ Or try thisone: identify the person who could fixanything from coast to coast...

Tough clues? Well, not for theseschoolchildren.

In arduous yet fun-filled rounds ofgeneral knowledge at ‘Ignite 2010,’ thefirst ever multi-city, inter-school quizcompetition presented by IGNOU in New Delhi, Kolkata and Guwahati,schoolchildren proved their mettle byanswering these baffling questions.

In the New Delhi round of ‘Ignite 2010’on April 23, the ‘Slumdog Billionaires’team of Anshul Kharbanda and PrateekVijayavargia from New Era Public Schoolwon the first prize while ‘Village Idiots’Apratim Mukhopadhyay and RaghavGupta from Delhi Public School (RKPuram branch) were declared Runners-up.

The winners were given a trophy fortheir school, individual trophies, bookvouchers and a gift hamper from IGNOUand the runners-up received individualtrophies, book vouchers and a gift hamper.Vice Chancellor Prof V.N. RajasekharanPillai and Pro-Vice Chancellor Latha Pillaipresented the awards.

“I was amazed to know that IGNOUcaters to nearly 30 lakh students and is

the world’s largest University. It is amatter of pride to be on the campushere,” said Mukhopadhyay.

At the Kolkata round on May 3, JyotikaMansata and Priyanjali Simon of LaMartiniere’s School for Girls emergedwinners while Somesh Jha and SalmanQureshi of Apeejay School, Park Street,were declared runners-up. The awardswere presented by VC Prof Pillai.

In the Guwahati round on May 5, 42teams from all the leading schools of thecity participated in the quiz. The firstprize went to the Kendriya VidyalayaKhanapara team of Manas Dadheech andTameem Salman while Swagata Sarmaand Padmini Baruah of Delhi PublicSchool ended as runners-up. The awardswere presented by IGNOU RegionalDirector Dr Vardhini Bhattacharjee.

The quizmaster, Adittya ChauhanMubayi of Quizcraft, who anchored theevent in all three cities, had prepared achallenging mix of questions.

The organisers put up an exhibitionoutside the auditorium and presented aflash presentation that gave theschoolchildren a fair idea about what theUniversity is all about, its uniqueprogrammes and future dreams.

The University will organise ‘Ignite2010’ in Mumbai and Bangalore once the school summer break in these cities ends.■

Kendriya Vidyalaya Khanapara team ofManas Dadheech and Tameem Salman won the first prize in the Guwahati round.

IGNOU has decided to allow students togive examinations in their own regionallanguages, Vice Chancellor Prof V.N.

Rajasekharan Pillai announced at a pressconference in Kolkata on May 3.

“The University had been working on aseries of new and path-breaking ideas tomeet the diverse and often dauntingexpectations of a large number of learnerswho cannot afford to acquire educationfrom a conventional university,” Prof Pillaisaid, adding: “Many of the newprogrammes are being aligned to theneeds of industry.”

Prof Pillai said IGNOU was keen toreach out to victims of violence and help

them resurrect their lives througheducation. It has started a short-termtraining programme for school headmasters of the Sunderban region initiallyon a pilot basis to develop their skills sothat they may serve more effectively.

The VC said the placement cell of theUniversity was gearing up to meet theemployability demand through plannedindustry presentations and contact drives,and by working out a system of enhancingcommunication and personality skills —key need areas for students.

IGNOU has also decided to waive programme fees for sex workers. TheKolkata Regional Centre runs a study cen-

tre at Durbar Mahila Samannya Samiti, anorganisation of 65,000 sex workers, to educate them as well as their wards.■

VC Prof Pillai showing a brochure and a CDwith a flash presentation on IGNOU, at themedia meet in Kolkata.

Now, write exams in regional languages

Anshul Kharbanda and Prateek Vijayavargiafrom New Era Public School won in New Delhi.

Jyotika Mansata and Priyanjali Simon of LaMartiniere’s School for Girls won in Kolkata.

For 25-year-old Ioolanda Suchiang, afarmer hailing from the remoteGaro hills in Meghalaya, thefrequent loss of crop and livestock

and poor farm yield left him and his familyimpoverished for months.

Clueless about what to do with thesudden changes in rainfall pattern,humidity and temperature variations, andproblems such as weeds or what he feltwere “valueless” flowers like Orchids andGeranium that were adversely affectingagricultural output, Suchiang thought itwould be better if he could get guidancefrom someone with technical know-howabout how to improve farm yields and gethim better returns. But the inaccessibleterrain made his task difficult.

That’s when IGNOU came along. “Onesunny morning, there were visitors at myvillage. The team from IGNOU told us theywere going to organise a five-day training

Programme on Soil and WaterConservation Techniques and all wereinvited to join,” recalls Suchiang. Thosefive days changed his life, and those ofothers in his village.

Shun all ignoranceJointly organised by the Centre forResearch and Training in Agriculture(ICRTA), the IGNOU Institute ofVocational Education and Training (IIVET),Shillong, and the Meghalaya RuralDevelopment Society-Livelihood FinanceCompany (MRDS-LIFCOM), theprogramme targeted community-basedorganisations such as Self-Help Groups(SHGs), Village Employment Committeesand other traditional groups.

The training sessions and the question-and-answers sessions with experts werean eyeopener for the villagers from theGaro, Khasi and Jaintia hills. They were


Empowering FarmersINFOCUSFarmers in theremote Garo/Khasiand Jaintia Hills ofMeghalaya are beingtrained by IGNOUin scientificagriculturalpractices, buildingmarket linkages,getting anentrepreneurialedge and earningfinancial freedom

“We never knew thateven harmful weeds have economic value attached

to them. We need to preserve them now.”

— Anjani Momin, a Khasi Hills farmer

surprised to know that the “harmful”weeds they worried about the mostactually had economic value owing to themedicinal/aromatic properties inherent intheir composition.

Another revelation was that theflowers the farmers considered “wild andvalueless” had the potential to bringthem out of economic deprivation.

Next came field visits, where the farmers were given first-handinformation about how they could helpconserve the rich biodiversity of thisregion by growing plants having medicinal and economic value.

“I wish others were as lucky as us, tobe able to attend such beneficialprogrammes. The training has been veryuseful,” says Suchiang.

“We never knew that even weeds haveeconomic value attached to them. Weneed to preserve them now,” adds AnjaniMomin, bemused at the startling factsbeing unraveled before her eyes.

Khraw Pyrthah Rani, anotherparticipant from Khasi hills, supportsMomin’s views. “I hope such programmescan be arranged at the village or clusterlevel, so that such knowledge is sharedwith other villagers.”

“This is exactly what we are planning

to do in the near future. Wewould now go to the villagelevel, with the help fromSHGs, to impart soil andwater conservation trainingto all the villagers,” saysA.S. Guha, Regional Director, IIVET.

“The Soil and WaterConservation forWatershed Functionaries’Programme helped theparticipants learnmodernised methods toconserve soil and water.It also helped them studyusage of medicinal plantsfor water conservation,soil preservation andenrichment,” says Guha,who has been working forthe farmers’ cause in the region for almost 10 years.

The North-Easternregion, comprising eight states, covers7.7 percent of India’s geographical areabut produces only 1.5 percent of thecountry’s foodgrains.

Since 70 percent of Meghalaya’spopulation depends on agriculture,employment and income generation alsodepends on agricultural developmental

activities to a great extent.“The state is deficit in

foodgrains by 1.37 lakh tonnesannually to feed a population of 23lakh. This is owing to severalconstraints like the undulatingtopography, transport and

communication problems,population dispersal pattern,inadequate credit support, poormarketing system, etc.,” saysan official of the state’sDepartment of Agriculture.

IGNOU saw an opportunityand set up ICRTA in Tripura inNovember last year to develophuman resources foragriculture and agro-basedindustries through ODL in theNorth-East region.

Pot of Yellow GoldIGNOU soon spotted anotheropportunity, this time in theJaintia hills of Meghalaya that

is home to a unique variety of turmeric —Lakadong Turmeric.

Grown in the Lakadong area, thisvariety of turmeric has the highestcurcumin content (7.4 percent) in theworld and can be grown commercially ona large scale. But the farmers there were unable to increase the yield due to


Farmers from Garo Hillsduring a field training.

� Training Programme on Dairy Farming� Training-cum-Awareness Programme on Value-

Added Products from Fruits and Vegetables� Training Programme on Watershed

Management� Training Programme on Pickle and Jam

Making� Awareness Programme on Marketing

Management of Horticultural Produce in North-Eastern Region

� Awareness-cum-Training Programme onWater Harvesting

� Awareness-cum-Training Programme onWater Harvesting for Farmers of NorthEastern Region

� Awareness-cum-Training Programme onIntegrated Farming System

� Training Programme on Rain WaterHarvesting and Watershed Management

� Training Programme on Vermicomposting� Training Programme on Aquaculture at ICAR

Research Complex for the N-E Region� Regional Training Programme on Extension

Methodology for Extension Functionaries inthe N-E Region

� Awareness Programme on Marketing

Management of Horticulture Produce in North Eastern Region

� Training-cum-Awareness Programme onWatershed Management

� Training Programme on Technologies inIncreasing Milk Production

� Training Programme on Sericulture� Training Programme on Hygienic Meat

Production and Processing� Training Programme on Poultry Farming� Training Programme on Fruit Preservation � Training Programme on Production of Value

Added Products from Fruits and Vegetables� Training Programme on Pig Rearing

IGNOU’S NORTH-EAST INITIATIVESThe School of Agriculture is actively involved in organising several

programmes in the North-East. All these are sponsored by the North-EastProject (NEP), IGNOU. Listed here are some of the programmes:

Farmers in Jaintia Hills on a field visit.

“Today, farmersare sellingLakadong

Turmeric at Rs. 60/kg with

the help of bankofficials. This isa huge margincompared to

earlier returns.”— Prof Debjani Roy,OSD, IIVET-Shillong


ignorance about scientific agriculturalpractices, lack of market linkages and anentrepreneurial drive.

Realising its potential for the globalmarket, IIVET decided to train thefarmers, especially women, on how toincrease the yield using systematicscientific agricultural practices.

“IIVET organised several trainingProgrammes on Production and Post-harvest Technology for Lakadong Turmericfarmers in past one year, enhancing theirskills and knowledge to improveproductivity,” says Prof Debjani Roy,Officer on Special Duty, IIVET. “The

Meghalaya Cooperative Apex BankLimited (MCABL) met the farmers andtook the responsibility for the formationand registration of the IndigenousTurmeric Growers’ Group (ITGG), openingof bank accounts for the farmers in theJaintia hills and sanctioning loans of Rs. 20,000 to each farmer,” she adds.

According to D.F. War, managingdirector of MCABL, three ITGGs havealready been established and arefunctioning well. “Several members of theITGGs have repaid their individual loans ofRs. 20,000 and have asked for freshloans for double the amount they receivedlast year, expecting that the yield fromthis year’s crop would even be better. Therest of the ITGG members who have notrepaid the entire amount are servicingtheir loans regularly,” says War.

About their learning experience, thefarmers said that earlier, they never feltencouraged to grow turmeric because itdid not give them good returns. But thetraining had helped them understandagricultural practices and market needs.

“After attending this programme andlistening to the experts’ advise, I’mprepared to grow turmeric on a largescale from this year onwards,” saysBhailok Tangs, a Lakadong farmer.

In the Indian market, this variety isextensively used in extracting curcuminand manufacturing Turmeric Oleoresin,that is often used for flavouring andcolouring in the cosmetics, food andmedicine industries.

Four farmers from Ri Bhoi district, whoattended the training, decided to plantturmeric for the first time and wereprovided micro-loans.

Demmon Pala, a SHG member fromMowkyndeng village, is a living example ofthe financial liberation the Lakadong

�IGNOU set upthe Centre forResearch andTraining inAgriculture(ICRTA), anational centrefor Open andDistance

Learning, in Tripura in Novemberlast year. The idea was todevelop human resources foragriculture and agro-basedindustries through ODL in theNorth-Eastern region.

� Under the guidance of itsDirector, Prof B.S. Hansra,ICRTA has organised several

training programmes inIntegrated Pest Management(IPM) on crops for the farmersin areas like Tura and Champaiin Meghalaya last year. It hasalso organised programmes likecultivation of passion, bananaand grape fruits; Programmeson Nutritional Home Garden;and Scientific Agriculture andHoney Production for thefarmers in Meghalaya.

� IGNOU has started specialcourses on SustainableAgriculture and Food Security inthe North-East. The coursesinclude horticulture nurserymanagement, honey production

and processing, value addition infruits and vegetables, bio-fertiliser and bio-pesticidesproduction, livestock productionand management, fishproduction and management,

mushroom production andmarketing, production andmarketing of turmeric andorchids, pig farming andproduction and value addition tothe famous chillies of the region.

Farmers during a training session at Tura, Meghalaya. (Right) Afarmer learns about how to bait the rats in the fields, in Tripura.

ICRTA: A BEGINNING

B.S. Hansra.

“As part of our future plans, wewould go to the

village level, withhelp from SHGs,to impart soil

and water conservation

training to all thevillagers.”

—A.S. Guha, Regional Director, IIVET

Regional Centre

Programme Study Centres

Regular Study Centres

Special Study Centres

Project Mode Study Centres

IGNOU in the North-East


Turmeric has brought to some lives here.Pala is now president of the LaskeinFederation, a group of 16 SHGs activelyinvolved in producing, processing andmarketing Lakadong Turmeric. “My task isto provide direction to my fellowmembers to work together as ateam,” says Pala.

“The IGNOU programmeshave not only given financialstability to the farmers, buthave also helped themunderstand agriculturalpractices and marketneeds,” says Prof Roy.

“IIVET is constantlymonitoring interacting,motivating and conductingawareness programmes onthe relevance of thecultivation of the LakadongTurmeric in relation to theglobal economy, since theindigenous farmers are stilla long way from being selfsufficient,” adds Guha.

The problem is put inperspective when oneconsiders that, till now, theproduction of Lakadong Turmeric was lowand sold for just Rs. 100 for 100 kg.

Compare this with Erode in TamilNadu, which is the world’s largestproducer and most important tradingcentre of turmeric in Asia, where, a 100 kg bag of turmeric sells for about Rs. 14,000.

According to the North-Eastern

Development Finance Corporation Ltd.(NEDFCL), the total production ofLakadong variety stands at 8,752 tonnesper year. The Erode Turmeric market, onthe other hand, produces around 1.5-1.75

lakh tonnes of turmeric per year. “The scene is slowly

changing now. Today, farmerslike Empor Tang, Melin Lamareand Rani Dkhar are selling thevariety at Rs. 60 per kg withthe help of MCABL. This is a

huge margin compared tothe earlier dismal returns.”

“They have alsoapproached the Khadi and Village IndustriesCommission (KVIC) to extendthem loans of Rs. 25 lakh tobuy the state-of-the-artmachinery,” informs Prof Roy.

Tap the future“As agricultural educationand extension services playan important role in makingagriculture an instrument ofsocial and economicdevelopment, the extension,

education, awareness and researchsystems need to be strengthened,systematised and updated,” says B.S.Hansra, a Professor at IGNOU’s School ofAgriculture. Hansra, who is also theDirector of ICRTA, adds: “IGNOU’s mainobjective is to reach the unreachedfarmers, entrepreneurs, unemployed peopleand various stakeholders through diverse

modes for sustainable development ofagriculture and allied sectors.”

“The initiatives are aimed atstrengthening and updating the knowledgeand capacity of the farming community toadopt environmental-friendly technologyleading to sustainable development andlivelihood generation,” stresses DrJayashree Kurup, Deputy Director,Educational Development of the North EastRegion Unit (EDNERU). IIVET has nowinitiated the process of registering theLakadong Turmeric in the GeographicIndication (GI) list. “This can change thelives of Meghalaya farmers,” says Guha.

Rani is happy to know that one day,Lakadong Turmeric may bring globalrecognition for his village. “We not onlywant our children to learn scientificagricultural practices, but also wish thatone day they become a successfulentrepreneurs,” he says, smiling.

“Improving the livelihoods in ruralareas is central to poverty reduction.These livelihoods are mostly farming-dependent and agricultural extension isstill largely based on face-to-facecommunication and demonstration.Communication technology has a greatrole in these areas of agriculturalextension and sustainable development,”says IGNOU Vice Chancellor Prof. V.N.Rajasekharan Pillai.

Will the farming community from the‘Abode of Clouds’ be on the world mapsoon? IGNOU and its team think so. Thefarmers of the Garo, Khasi and Jaintiahills firmly believe so.�

HEALTHTO WEALTH� India accounts for about 80 per cent of

world turmeric production, with about 1.5 lakh hectares under cultivation.

� In 2009, the industry estimated a totalproduction at 51 lakh tonnes as against46 lakh tonnes in 2008.

� India is also the largest turmericconsumer. Domestic consumptionaccounts for nearly 93-94 percent of the total production.

� India exports turmeric for medicinal andother purposes to developed countries.

“The initiativesare aimed to

strengthen thecapacity of the

farmers, leadingto a sustainable

developmentand livelihoodgeneration.”

—Dr Jayashree Kurup,Deputy Director,

EDNERU

An expert addressing queries on Lakadong Turmeric. (Right) women farmers during a Q&Asession with the ICRTA personnel who informed them about scientific agricultural practices.

Shankar Kajania never thought hewould make it so fast, and sogood. An arts graduate fromJalaun, a mofussil town in Uttar

Pradesh, he came to Bhopal and beganhis career in the housekeepingdepartment of the city’s prestigious AmerPalace Hotel.

Few days into his first job and Kajaniarealised this was not going to take him tothe pinnacle of his chosen career. Thekey to beat the ordinary, he understood,was to acquire some specialisedknowledge in the field of hospitality.

That was when he turned to IGNOU. Hegot himself admission to the University’ssix-month Certificate Programme inHousekeeping Operation. The intensivetraining he underwent — focused onteaching hospitality etiquette andunraveling housekeeping secrets —changed his destiny.

Witnessing the sea change inKajania’s attitude and approach towards

his job, the hotel management decided topromote him to their well-known highwayrestaurant, Amer Green, with a paychecknearly doubled!

Kajania is not alone. There are severalIGNOU students who received lucrativeoffers after completing the Certificatecourses in the tourism and hospitalitysector, run in collaboration with theMadhya Pradesh Tourism DevelopmentCorporation (MPTDC).

And the buzz has spread to otherstates too. At the moment, IGNOU is intalks with the tourism boards of threestates — Assam, Jammu and Kashmirand Sikkim — to begin similar tourismcourses there.

The first batches of students enrolledin three six-month certificateprogrammes — Front Office Operation,Housekeeping Operation and Food &Beverages Service Operation — attendedtheir valedictory ceremony in Bhopal onJanuary 4.


SPOTLIGHT

Ready to ServeIGNOU’s Certificatecourses in thetourism andhospitality sector inMadhya Pradeshare helping rural youth get lucrative offers at top-notchcity hotels andrestaurants. Now,other states arequeueing up to be apart of the successstory

A class of the Certificate Programme in Housekeeping Operation underway at the IGNOU Regional Centre, Bhopal.

According to Dr Harkirat Bains,Director, School of Tourism andHospitality Services Management, morethat 70 percent of the learners haveeither got jobs or have set up their own businesses. “To begin with, weassist students in attaining a basicknowledge of English — theforemost requirement in thissector. Then the core trainingbegins. In the housekeepingprogramme, we cover allaspects of hotel housekeepingoperations — departmentstructure, planning, staffing,inventory and equipmentmanagement, housekeepingsupplies, laundry roommanagement, cleaning,personnel administration,adminis-trative controls andrisk management, etc.,”says Dr Bains.

The MPTDC helpslearners get an eight-week,on-the-job training at hotelsthat come under itsjurisdiction. The tourismboard also gives studentsRs 1,000 as stipend.

The Indian hospitalitysector is pegged at Rs 10,252 crore, out ofwhich hotels constitute 75 percent of thetotal market size. The hotel segment isprojected to double in size by 2018, saysTechnopak, a retail consultancy firm.

B.M. Namdeo, chief general manager,MP State Tourism Development

Corporation (MPSTDC) Ltd, is fully awareof the potential in the tourism sector. “Inthe next few years, the Indian tourismindustry will require at least 20 lakhtrained professionals. In IGNOU courses,even higher-secondary pass students can get enrolled and benefit,” he says.

Agrees Dr Bains: “Theprogrammes are designed insuch a professional way thatonce a learner completes thecourse of his choice, he will findit easy to connect to themainstream.”

Take the case of DevshriKhare, who had a GraduateDegree in Tourism. Why thendid she opt for a certificatecourse from IGNOU?

“Whatever knowledge Igained was plain theory. TheFront Office OperationCertificate course hasinstilled much-neededconfidence in me. Now, I findmyself at par with otherprofessionals,” she stresses.

Similar is the story of Tripti Ratnoday, a B.Com.graduate. She is floodedwith offers from some of thefinest hotels in the countryafter completing the Front

Office Operation Programme. “These sixmonths have been the best as far as myeducational journey is concerned,” shenotes.

And none other than her classmateManisha Khale, an M.Com. graduate, can

understand the true meaning of thesewords. Having completed the Programmein Food and Beverages ServicesOperation, she was busy sifting throughthe offers made to her and, by that timeyou finish reading this, she might be busygreeting customers, escorting them totheir seats and serving them.

Narendra Dubey has got a break withPalash Residency in Bhopal. He is happythat he will be able to send some moneyback home and take care of his agingparents. “The IGNOU course has donewonders for students like me. I mustthank the University for giving studentsfrom the rural background an opportunityto work with the crème de la crème ofthe society,” Dubey says.

For Kajaria, the journey to the top hasjust begun. Next on his menu: to get abreak with a five-star hotel. The dreamjust got bigger.■

“ The Front Office Operation

Certificatecourse has

instilled in me a much-neededconfidence. Now,I find myself atpar with otherprofessionals.”

—Devshri Khare,Learner


� 19 percent is the growth inemployment generation in thehospitality sector (October-January2009-10)

� Rs 10,252 crore is the size of theIndian hospitality sector

� 75 percent of the total hospitalitymarket size is constituted by hotels

� Rs 5,347 crore to be invested in thehospitality sector in next five years

� 40 international hotel brands to cometo India in next two years

� 4 crore, the number of jobs India willcreate in the next 10 years in the traveland tourism sector

� 7.7 percent is the rate at which India’stravel and tourism economy isexpected to grow by 2019

Programmes: Front Office Operation,Housekeeping Operation and Food andBeverages Services OperationDuration: Six-month eachSeats: 40 eachFee: From Rs 2,900 to Rs. 10,000Stipend: Rs 1,000 (during on-the-jobtraining)Admission: Twice a year (No entrance)

BRIGHTFUTURE

THEPROGRAMMES

Learners going through various training sessions. The IGNOU programme covers all aspects of hotel housekeeping, front office and food & beverages operations.


NEWSUPDATES

He arrived, he laughed and heconquered. At IGNOU, on April 16,as he delivered the 3rd MotherTeresa Memorial Lecture to mark

the Mother’s 100th Birth Anniversary,IGNOU students, faculty, administrativestaff and many enthusiastic outsiders gotto see for themselves what keeps HisHoliness, the Dalai Lama, so motivated, sodriven and so healthy at this age.

Describing Mother Teresa’s spirit ofservice to the people, he commented thatone compassionate individual could bringabout change to the society. Even after herdemise, that spirit was still alive in Kolkata.

Speaking about tolerance and harmony,he said India had a rich tradition of multi-culturalism. “Your country has had differentphilosophies. For example, Charvaka saidthere was no God. Now these arecompletely different views. You can criticisethe person, but respect him. All traditionshave the same potential, to bring aboutinner strength… Therefore in your country,harmony is still alive.”

He was firm about taking religionseriously, because of its ability to give oneinner values and strength. But he was quickto add, “It should not be just a fewShlokas.” Advocating a combination ofmodern knowledge and old traditions, hesaid: “When I develop a dialogue withscientists, people say that it’s Westernscience that is the killer of religion. No,

Western science is also seeking the Truth.”He noted that the Buddha had made itclear, ‘Do not follow my teachings out ofdevotion but through investigation’.

The lecture was followed by a lively Q&Asession, with questions ranging fromconflict-resolution in a multi-faith world tohis palace memories. The key to livingharmoniously in a multi-faith world, said HisHoliness, was “Faith in your own religion,respect to all religions.”

The event is organised each year since2008 by the CBCI Chair of IGNOU, with theaim of creating awareness on issues of

national and international interest. The FirstAnnual Mother Teresa Memorial Lecturehad been delivered in 2008 by Dr APJ AbdulKalam, and the Second Lecture by NavinChawla.

This year, the other eminent speakerswho addressed the gathering were DominicJala, Archbishop, Shillong, Sister Marina,Principal, Jesus and Mary College, NewDelhi, Prof V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai, Vice-Chancellor, IGNOU, and Prof GraciousThomas, Director, School of Social Work. Afilm on Mother Teresa was shown on theoccasion.■

The Dalai Lama delivering the Third Mother Teresa Memorial Lecture in New Delhi on April 16.

‘Harmony still alive in your country’

Respect the ‘Other’, shun prejudices: Das

Actor-activist Nandita Das feels shecan become the “voice” of commonwomen in India because of her

female identity. Das was delivering alecture on ‘Identity and the Notion of the‘Other’’ as part of IGNOU’s Silver Jubileecelebrations.

Das explored the prejudices andidentities around the ‘other’ in terms ofgender, religion and nationality during thelecture. “In India, the question of identitybecomes even more complex because ofthe vast diversity of groups that onebelongs to. This political exploitation ofidentities is dangerous not only becauseit suppresses multiple identities andcreates an artificial homogenous ‘group

identity’ but also because it thrives ondemonising the ‘other’. If we learn moreabout the ‘other’, we would be lessprejudiced and evoke more empathy,” she

said. Das said she had been asked severaltimes how she felt to be a female directorin a male-dominated arena. “Just as thereis a male gaze, there must be a femalegaze, but it’s an inherent quality and not adeliberate attempt,” she noted.

While talking on the ‘other’ identitythat largely remains a hush-hush affair inIndia, Das shared her experience whileworking in Fire. “The debate over Fireraised many questions: who are thecustodians of Indian culture? Can a workof art that reflects reality be subjected tounconstitutional censorship? Is freedom ofexpression not a human right? My pursuitof answers to such questions has been aninteresting journey,” she said.■

Nandita Das at the IGNOU campus.


NEWSUPDATES

Encouraging braille music, not giving updespite losing both limbs, a cerebralpalsy patient eager to live life — films

dealing with such subjects were the prizewinners at the 7th International ‘We CareFilm Festival on Disability Issues 2010’ atthe Indian Spinal Injuries Centre in NewDelhi on May 3.

The festival was co-organised byIGNOU, the Brotherhood, an NGO, theUnited Nations Information Centre (UNIC),the United Nations Educational, Scientificand Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), theNational Trust, the Asian Academy of Filmand Television (AAFT), Sparsh andMother’s Pride.

The awards were given by MukulWasnik, Minister for Social Justice andEmpowerment. “Films can be a powerfultool to sensitise general public... thesefilms do away with the confusion andprejudices in the mind,” said SatishKapoor, the festival director.

Films like ‘Inclusive Education’, ‘FeelThe Music’ about encouraging braillemusic and ‘Ruk Jana Nahin’ about adifferently-abled psychologist won in theOne-Minute section. While films like‘Waiting For You’ ‘Saksham Lok’ and‘Virtue’ won in the Five-Minute section, inthe 30 and 60-Minute sections, foreignfilms walked away with the honours.■

Satish Kumar, the festival director, at the ‘WeCare Film Festival’ in New Delhi.

Different themes win at disability film fest

IGNOU has signed a memorandum ofunderstanding (MoU) with the VLCCInstitute of Beauty, Health andManagement to launch vocational

training courses in nutrition andcosmetology.

According to the MoU, signed in NewDelhi on May 3, the institute will offer aone-year Diploma Programme in Nutritionand Health Education (DNHE) and a six-month Certificate Programme inCosmetology (CICOS), Pro-ViceChancellor Prof D.N. Choudhry said.

“The wellness market is estimated tobe around Rs. 11,000 crore and isgrowing at the rate of 35 percent, leadingto a high demand-supply gap of health andbeauty professional in this segment,” saidVLCC business head Narinder Kumar, who signed the MoU with the University’sRegistrar Uday Singh Tolia. “Vocationalcourses like these will train students morepractically and contribute to the wellnessmarket which faces shortage of skilledprofessionals,” he added.

According to VLCC operations headMonica Bahl, the fee for both the courseswill be Rs. 45,000 and can be paid by students on a tri-semester basis —divided into installments paid once everythree months.

“Students who opt for the DNHE coursewill have an additional three-month

internship programme at the nearestVLCC centre. The cosmetology course willgive in-depth knowledge on skin, hair andmake-up technicalities,” Bahl added.

For the Certificate Programme inCosmetology, VLCC will conduct theprogramme in face–to-face mode at theVLCC campus.■

IGNOU forays into the wellness segment

VLCC business head Narinder Kumar with Pro-VC Prof D.N. Choudhry with the MoU.

factoids IGNOU, in collaboration with the Maya Academy of Advanced

Cinematics (MAAC), has introduced a specialised Degree

Programme in 3D Animation and Visual Effects.


GYANDEEP

Army men receive Associate Degrees

Atotal of 308 Personnel Below Officers’Rank (PBOR) of the Indian Army wereawarded Associate Degrees, Diplomasand Certificates by IGNOU in different

courses of telecommunications and computers,at the Defence Research and DevelopmentOrganisation (DRDO) headquarters in New Delhi on April 21.

The PBORs were from the Army’s Corps ofSignals in Jabalpur. The ceremonial functiontook place under project Gyan Deep, the IGNOU-Army Community College scheme launched lastyear. “The aim of the project is to confereducational certification to PBORs by accordingrecognition to in-service training carried out byindividuals during the span of their servicecareer,” an Army spokesman said.

“We want to empower all PBORs by armingthem with a Diploma and Degree so as tofacilitate a second career, post-retirement. Thisprogramme has the potential to transform thepost-retirement life of soldiers by equippingthem with a formal qualification and preparingthem for competitive job avenues,” he added.■

(Photo Above) Lt. Gen. Mukesh Sabharwal meets with Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Latha Pillai at the Ceremony.

Army Personnel Below Officers’ Rank at the Convocation Ceremony.

(Photo Right) VC ProfRajasekharan Pillai

lighting the traditionallamp to inaugurate the

ConvocationCeremony in NewDelhi on April 21.

Others, from left, areLt. Gen. Mukesh

Sabharwal and Lt. Gen. V.K.Chaturvedi.

(Photo Below)VC Prof Pillai handing

over a degree to anArmy jawan.


When higher education is left tothe market forces, it resultsin ‘elitisation’ of a basic need;it puts higher education firmly

out of the reach of the millions of under-privileged of our country who dream ofgoing to university one day.

The idea of inclusiveness of educationshould not be forgotten while aiming for ahigher Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER), saidK. Sankaranarayanan, MaharashtraGovernor while delivering the SilverJubilee Lecture titled ‘Inclusive Educationand Sustainable Growth’ at the IGNOUcampus in New Delhi on May 4.

“Churning out degree holders with littleor no employable skills will create anarmy of unemployed youth in the country,leading to a host of socio-economicproblems with wider consequences.”

“On the other hand, vocationaleducation, skill-based training shouldbecome an integral part of our highereducation strategy. Market-orientedreforms to rejuvenate the highereducation sector without adequatesafeguards for the underprivileged could

further create an imbalance ofinclusiveness,” the Maharashtra Governortold the audience.

“We need to tread the path of suchreforms with caution and, at the sametime, infuse an element of vibrancy anddynamism in the public higher educationsystem”, he added.

“The open universities have helpedbridge the demand-supply gap. I am happythat IGNOU has been the torchbearer inproviding convenient and affordablehigher education to millions who couldnot get access to traditional universityeducation for one reason or the other,”the Governor remarked.■

Learn French in Hindi, using ODL modeIGNOU, in collaboration with the French

Embassy, has launched a uniqueprogramme where you can learn French

in your national language using thedistance education mode. The programmewill help students in far-flung areas whoare either weak in English or can’t cometo the cities to join classes at French-learning centres like Alliances Françaises(AF), a non-profit organisation that runscentres in 133 countries.

The Embassy has placed a Frenchlanguage tutor at IGNOU for a year, whowill assist in the programme. In addition,

the Embassy, with help from AF, hasfacilitated the University with onlineFrench-learning manuals.

The programme was launched byAmbassador of France, Jerôme Bonnafont,and Vice Chancellor Prof V.N.Rajasekharan Pillai, at the FrenchEmbassy in New Delhi on April 30.

The Embassy also awarded threeFrench teachers with “Ordre des PalmesAcadémiques” (Order of Academic Palms) for their valuable contribution inpromoting French language among Indian students.■

factoids IGNOU Saudi Arabia organised its fourth convocation at the

Indian Embassy in Riyadh. Forty-eight students received Degrees

from the Chief Guest, Indian Ambassador Talmiz Ahmad.

Maharashtra Governor K. Sankaranarayanan delivering the Silver Jubilee Lecture in New Delhi.

‘Elitisation’ harms inclusive growthNEWSUPDATES

“Inclusiveeducationmustincludemarginalisedsections ofsociety,particularyDalits,tribals andwomen.”

French Ambassador Jerôme Bonnafontlaunching the Programme in New Delhi.


NEWSUPDATES

If we are talking about food security,we must look at the physical, socialand economic access to a balanceddiet, which includes micro-nutrients,

vitamins, clean drinking water andprimary health care.

“The accepted method for calculatingthe number of people living Below thePoverty Line (BPL) is how manykilocalories of food such a person is ableto consume. However, this method isbeing questioned now. Experts feel thatdata on housing, education should alsobe included,” said noted agriculturalscientist Prof M.S. Swaminathan.

An Honorary Chair for SustainableDevelopment at IGNOU, ProfSwaminathan was speaking at the launchof his book, titled ‘Science andSustainable Food Security’, during abook-release function organised by theIGNOU Chair for Sustainable Developmentat its campus in New Delhi on April 21.

Prof Swaminathan also announced thelaunch of eight new programmes underthe Chair for Sustainable Development atthe event.

The new programmes will cover areaslike Sustainability Science, ClimateChange, Population and SustainableDevelopment, Biodiversity, WetlandManagement, Sustainable Management

of the River Ganges, HimalayanEcosystem and Sustainability Audit.

“We can’t even think of sustainabledevelopment without preserving ourwater, climate and biodiversity. Scientistshave a great role to play here, especiallyin the use of appropriate technology forenhancing the environment,” he said.

“The country needs to focus onnutrition, food security and education,

the rest of the things will automaticallyfall into place. This was the rationale forstarting the Chair for SustainableDevelopment in 2007,” said ViceChancellor Prof V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai.

Dedicated to Dr. Norman E. Borlaug,the World Food Prize Founder and 1970Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, the bookgives a roadmap for achieving sustainableagricultural and food security.■

Prof M.S. Swaminathan delivering a lecture during the launch of his book, in New Delhi.

‘Preserve water, biodiversity first’

NEWSSCANAdmission date extended

The last date for submitting applicationsfor admissions to programmes in

IGNOU’s July 2010 session has beenextended beyond May 31. Theapplications will now be accepted with a late fee of Rs. 200 till June 15.

Earlier, the last date for submission ofapplications for admissions to IGNOU wasApril 30, and with late fee, it was May31. Students awaiting Class 10th and12th results can also apply, subject tofulfilment of eligibility criteria.

An electronic version of the prospectusis available at www.ignou.ac.in.Application forms can also be submittedonline through the University website,except for programmes that require anentrance test.■

Five new law programmes

The School of Law (SOL) has launchedfive new Programmes in Law,

beginning this academic session.The programmes are: PG Diploma in

Environmental Law with WWF, India; PGDiploma in Criminal Justice; Certificate in International Humanitarian Law withInternational Committee of Red Cross(ICRC); Certificate in Anti-HumanTrafficking, in collaboration with UnitedNations Office on Drugs and Crimes and(UNODC); and Certificate in Cooperation,Cooperative Law and Business Laws.

The last date for submission ofapplications is June 30. For prospectus andother details, see www.ignouonline.ac.in.For information on PG Diploma inEnvironment Law, visit www.wwfindia.org■

Corporate Governance

IGNOU, in collaboration with theInstitute of Corporate Secretaries of

India (ICSI), is offering a Post-GraduateProgramme in Corporate Governance(PGDICG) from the July 2010 session.

The programme focuses on regulatoryrequirements and framework of corporategovernance, providing opportunities ofwork for the corporate sector. Eligibilityfor the programme is a Bachelor’s degreewith five years of relevant experience.

The prospectus and application formscan be downloaded from www.ignou.ac.in.These are also available at the IGNOUheadquarters, as well as at the RegionalCentres. The last date for submission ofapplication forms, without any late fee, is May 31.■


REGIONALROUNDUP

The Indian Agricultural ResearchInstitute (IARI), New Delhi, recentlyorganised ‘Pusa Krishi Vigyan Mela

2010’ at Pusa Institute in New Delhi. Thetheme was ‘Agricultural Technologies forNational Prosperity’. IGNOU’s School of

Agriculture (SOA) participated in theexhibition and displayed activities andprogrammes being offered. The SOA stallwas adjudged second in the public sectorcategory. Prof. B.S. Hansra was theGuest of Honour at the event.

That an open university means justa correspondence institute is nowan old conception. Of late, thedefinition of an Open University

has changed to one that is open to ideas,strategies and people.

“Distance education is just one of thetools employed in the University,” saidVice Chancellor Prof V.N. RajasekharanPillai at the inauguration of the secondphase of the building complex of theIGNOU Regional Centre at Kaloor, Kochi.

The Chief Guest at the event, K.V.Thomas, Union Minister of State for Food,Agriculture and Consumer Affairs, saidthat even though our nation has advancedmuch in terms of education whencompared to others, this has not actually

reflected in the overall development ofthe country.

The existing building of IGNOU atKaloor was constructed in 2002. Theexpanded structure houses two additionalfloors. A Gyan Vani FM station, a library,computer laboratory, Edusat-teachingstudio, research faculty block, seminarhalls and class rooms will function fromthe renovated building.

Among others who present were Dr Latha Pillai, Pro Vice-Chancellor;Dominic Presentation, MLA; C.G.Krishnadas Nair, managing director,Cochin International Airport Limited; A. Aundeeswaran, superintendingengineer, CPWD; and K.S.D. Nair, Regional Director, Kochi.■

SOA stall second at Pusa Mela

The renovated and expanded building of the Kochi Regional Centre at Kaloor.

factoids Kochi RC and the Rajagiri Educational &

Charitable Trust have launched 2 specialised

M.Tech. courses in Embedded Systems Design

and Information Security System from this year.

Kochi RC gets a faceliftSTUDENTS’CORNER

To join the ranks of the IndianAdministrative Service (IAS),

what you need to do is to put in theright kind of effort and set goals forsuch big league examinations rightfrom the beginning, says 24-year-oldHimanshu Kumar.

A second-year student of the M.A.Programme in Public Administrationat IGNOU, Himanshu has cleared theCivil Services Examination 2009.Ranked 141 in the merit list,Himanshu salutes IGNOU for itsenriching and enlightening learningprocess. “I have benefitedimmensely from the book authoredby the team of scholars at IGNOUand I express my sincerest gratitudeto their efforts,” he says.

Himanshu, 24, did his schoolingfrom the Sainik School in Goalpara,Assam, and Delhi Public School(DPS) R.K. Puram, New Delhi, beforepursuing a B.A. in Journalism fromDelhi University.

“I wish all the best to the IASaspirants who are enrolled invarious IGNOU Programmes,” saysHimanshu.

In 2008, two railway employees,both IGNOU graduates, cleared theIAS exam achieving commendableranks.

While Keshvendra Kumar, arailway booking clerk in WestBengal, secured 45th rank, KumarRavikant Singh, also a railway clerkin West Bengal, managed the 77thrank in the prestigious examination.

IGNOU learnerclears IAS

VC Prof Pillai hands over a Certificate of Commendation to Himanshu Kumar.

Prof Sharmila Rege, a leadingfeminist sociologist, delivered a

lecture titled ‘Dr. B.R. Ambedkar:Towards a Feminist Reclamation’,organised by IGNOU’s Dr B.R.Ambedkar Chair on Social Changeand Development recently.

“There is an urgent need forfeminist discourse to turn to DrAmbedkar. It is time not to talkabout gender in isolation but to includeclass, caste and other factors. Therefore,there is a need to reclaim Dr. Ambedkar’s

writings as feminist classics,”said Prof. Rege.

She dwelt on a few chaptersfrom Ambedkar’s work as feministclassics. “The feminist discourse,at large, has remained ignorant of the rich and complex

interpretations of caste andgender as conceptualised by Dr Ambedkar,” noted Prof Rege,

head of Department of Gender Studies,University of Pune, who has writtenextensively on gender and sociology.■


MILESTONESONCAMPUS

HIGHLIGHTS

10th Convocation Ceremony heldMarch, 1999: The 10th IGNOU ConvocationCeremony is held. Noted Hindi litterateurMahasweta Devi is conferred ‘Doctor of Letters, honoris causa’.

Prof G. Ram Reddy Memorial LectureJuly, 1999: Prof Ian Mugridge, former director(Programmes), the Commonwealth of Learning(COL), delivers the ‘Fourth Prof G. Ram ReddyMemorial Lecture’ on the theme titled ‘QualityAssurance in Open and Distance Education’.

Mahatma Gandhi Vidyalaya inauguratedAugust, 1999: The Mahatma Gandhi Vidyalaya isestablished at the University’s main campus.The Vidyalaya is inaugurated by VibhaParthasarathy, chairperson, NationalCommission for Women.�School of Management Studies, under theaegis of AIMS-CCMS-CIDA, organises aworkshop on ‘Empowering Women thoughEnterprise’.

Satellite Earth Station establishedSeptember, 1999: Maharaj Krishen Kaw,Education Secretary, HRD Ministry, inauguratesthe Satellite Earth Station.

UNESCO training courseNovember, 1999: School of Sciences organisesthe ‘UNESCO Regional Training Course inUniversity Science Teaching’.

10th Learners’ Day

TUESDAY May 1807:30: NCERT/CIET:Teachers Prog: SatatMulyankan, PuppetDwara Sikshan Dosti11:30: North East Kaleidoscope/WomenEmpowerment: Phir Ek Khamoshi 18:30: NIOS: Voca-tional: Fundamentals of Computer; Physics:Surface Tension 21:00: IGNOU-SOSS: Privatisation in India

THURSDAYMay 2008:00: NITTTR: Women in Management 08:30: IGNOU-SOE: Biological EvolutionAnd Speciation 13:30: IGNOU-UrduProgramme: Khwateenaur unke masail; 1980 Ke Baad Ki Urdu Ghazal18:30: NIOS: SocialScience: Cultural Heritage of India

SUNDAYMay 2308:00: NITTTR: TalkShow on EnvironmentEducation 11:00: UGC/CEC:Udaan — Yatra Prabhandhan, Ways ofHope — Photography20:00: UGC/CEC: TheArt of Screen Printing,Shaktiheen PowerLoom, AstronomicalPhotography22:00: IGNOU/Culture:Theatre of Manipur

TUESDAYMay 2511:00: UGC/CEC:Human Genome Project— II, Metabolism — II13:00: Science: Limits — A GlanceThrough History Part22:00: IGNOU/Culture:Weaving Hands

THURSDAYMay 2708:30: IGNOU-SOS:Physics Lab: Technician — Know Your Job18:30: NIOS: SocialScience: We GovernOurselves; Science:Changes Around Us

MONDAYMay 3111:00: UGC/CEC:ANN: Hydrological Modeling14:30: NITTTR: Money Concepts and Functions14:30: NIOS: Mushroom Production

[Not to be

MissedKnow more about the

scope and importance of education in the area of environment — in an age where climate change is thetalk of the town. Watch the Talk Show on Environment Education on Sunday (May 23).

]

The School of Humanities organised plays based on two famous stories by noted Hindiwriter Jaishankar Prasad — Puraskar and Akashdeep — at IGNOU’s Convention Centre inNew Delhi on April 15. Artistes from the National School of Drama presented the plays, directed by Prof Devendra Raj Ankur. VC Prof V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai was the Chief Guest.

Prof. SharmilaRege.

Prof Rege delivers Dr B.R. Ambedkar Lecture

Documents

Open Letter - May Edition