Bhubaneswar: The Indira Gandhi Open University (IGNOU) Bhubaneswar has launched initiatives to provide educational opportunities to all segments of society.
IGNOU is now collaborating with the Directorate of Higher Education of Odisha for providing educational opportunities to all under graduate (UG) and post graduate (PG) students of government and aided colleges. With this a door will be opened for UG and PG students to enrol themselves in six-month certificate programmes of IGNOU in the area of their choice.
This will help them add to their bachelors and masters degree and act as a catalyst for career enhancement, said IGNOU Bhubaneswar Regional Director Manoj Kumar Dash at a press conference Thursday.
He said that students will understand the requirements of industry while pursuing bachelor and PG programmes. Higher Education Secretary consented to this new initiative during a meet with IGNOU Regional Director and his team in May.
IGNOU Regional Centre Bhubaneswar has also started working with the Skill Development Institute (SDI) Bhubaneswar, under the Union Ministry of Skill Development. A proposal was submitted to SDI for joint collaboration in some certificate programmes of IGNOU.
Bibhuti Panigrahi, General Manager, Skill Development, IOCL, promised to join the new initiative with IGNOU in the courses of Certificate in Information Technology (CIT), Certificate of Competency in Power Distribution (CPD) and Certificate of Communication and IT Skills (CCITSK).
Dash sad that a similar proposal was also submitted to the General Manager of East Coast Railway for joint collaboration with IGNOU for implementation of a certificate programme for Railway officials.
The regional centre is also planning to open study centres in all circle jails and district jails of Odisha with the support of the Odisha Directorate of Prisons.
IGNOU is also offering free education to all SC and ST students in certificate, Diploma, PG Diploma, PG Certificate and Bachelor programmes in the July 2018 session. The last date for admission to six-month programmes is June 30 and for all other programmes it is July 15.
IGNOU launches certificate courses
