IGNOU Indira Gandhi National Open University

Introduction

IGNOU is a distance learning national university located in New Delhi named after former prime minister of country INDIRA GANDHI.

It was established under the act of IGNOU 1985 with the budget of 20 million.

expansion

As of 2011 IGNOU served over 3 million students in India. The headquarters, and 40 other countries in Abroad.

It has 21 schools and a network of 67 regional centers, 2667 study centers, ands 29 overseas centers.

Approx. 20% students enrolled in higher education in India are enrolled with IGNOU. IGNOU offers 226 academic programs comprising courses at certificates, diploma and degree levels.

Mandate to University

The mandate of the University is to: Provide access to higher education to all segments of the society; Offer high-quality, innovative and need-based programmes at different levels, to all

those who require them; Reach out to the disadvantaged by offering programmes in all parts of the country at

affordable costs; and Promote, coordinate and regulate the standards of education offered through open and

distance learning in the country. To achieve the twin objectives of widening access for all sections of society and providing

continual professional development and training to all sectors of the economy, the University uses a variety of media and latest technology in imparting education. This is reflected in the formulated vision of IGNOU, keeping its objectives in focus, which reads:

Features

It is largest university in the world with over 4 million students founded to impart education by means of Distance & Open education

It provides higher educational opportunities to the disadvantaged segments of the society, encourage, coordinate and set standards for distance and open education in India to strength the human resource through education.

It is decentralized in five zones viz north, south, east, west, and north east.

Characteristics

The first of the regional headquarters, catering to four southern states, Pondicherry, Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep, is being set up in the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram in kerala.

Ministry of HRD is responsible for draft policy on Open and distance learning and online courses to IGNOU

Division

Academics & coordination divisionAdministrative DivisionConstruction and maintenanceComputer divisionInternational divisionFinance and accounts divisionLibrary and documentation divisionMaterial production and distributionRegional services divisionStudents evaluation divisionStudents evaluation division

Research Unit

Research Unit has been established at IGNOU under notification dated 6th October 2008. prior to that research related activities were looked after by the academic coordination division. The objectives of RU’s establishment were: To conduct Research council and Research Council’s Standing Committee

meetings foe developing policies and frameworks for conduct of research activities.

To register and monitor all full-time and part time MPhill and PhD candidates. To engage Research Teaching Assistants under IGNOU- DEC RTA scheme for

conduct of research & training. To conduct workshops/seminars on research methodology for full-time and

part time research candidates To facilitates systematic/ discipline based research in the university.

Accreditation & recognition

IGNOU is granted the authority to confer degrees by clause 5(1)(iii) of IGNOU act 1985

It is recognized as a central university by the UGC. The Association of Indian Universities (AIU) recognizes IGNOU

conferred degrees as on par with the degrees conferred by its members.

AICTE recognizes the MCA & MBA program of IGNOU. In 1993, IGNOU was designated by the Commonwealth of Learning

as its first Centre of Excellence for Distance Education. It operates as an accreditor for open university and distance

education systems in India through the Distance Education Council. Authority to do so is granted under Clause 16 and statute 28 of the IGNOU act 1985.