In the city for inaugurating a special vocational course developed by IGNOU's regional centre, its vice-chancellor VN Rajasekharan Pillaispoke on a number of issues relating to distance education in the country. Pillai also informed about the sign language institute coming up in IGNOU'sDelhi campus which is a first of its kind in entireAsia.
Excerpts
Q. What is your view on distance education in Indiaand where it should be in the distant future?
A. Distance education is the best way for students to enhance their skills for the marketplace. I firmly believe that anyone should have access to education anywhere and anytime. That is the true essence of distance education. Technology is changing very fast and it will prove to be a strong partner for IGNOU to bring education to a student. 95% of IGNOU's study material is online through our E-Gyan Kosh initiative, there are many instruction videos which we have been uploaded. Research shows that by 2022, India's 60% population will be aged less than 32 years. With such a potent workforce we need to arm them academically so that they are ready to take on the world. Distance education will play a vital role in this.
Q. What role will conventional universities play? The enrolment numbers for distance education overall are increasing, will this make conventional universities irrelevant down the line?
A. No never. In fact conventional and open universities will have to play a collaborative role. The reason I say this is because our course materials are designed and developed by teachers who are employed with conventional universities. So we would want them to ultimately offer these courses (from IGNOU) through their own conventional universities, thus adding a variety to the educational knowledge a student gains. This is the way open and conventional universities in the rest of the world are operating and we should also look in that direction. Lot of people say that with technology coming into force teachers may loose their jobs etc. But I believe that teachers will get more work but will need to adapt to the technology which will deliver more and more of the study material to students.
Q. What are the latest projects that IGNOU is working on?
A. Yesterday the ministry of social justice and empowerment asked us to go ahead to establish the first sign language institute in entire Asia. It will be called the Indian Sign Language Institute and will be based out of our Delhi campus with a dedicated infrastructure of its own. Here we will train students from all over the world in the sign language so that they can impart education in schools or colleges for the deaf and mute. We are always looking for collaboration with other universities so that education can reach more and more students. In Nagpur also you saw how we have started the bachelor preparatory course in Marathi medium and a specific course for prisoners.
Excerpts
Q. What is your view on distance education in Indiaand where it should be in the distant future?
A. Distance education is the best way for students to enhance their skills for the marketplace. I firmly believe that anyone should have access to education anywhere and anytime. That is the true essence of distance education. Technology is changing very fast and it will prove to be a strong partner for IGNOU to bring education to a student. 95% of IGNOU's study material is online through our E-Gyan Kosh initiative, there are many instruction videos which we have been uploaded. Research shows that by 2022, India's 60% population will be aged less than 32 years. With such a potent workforce we need to arm them academically so that they are ready to take on the world. Distance education will play a vital role in this.
Q. What role will conventional universities play? The enrolment numbers for distance education overall are increasing, will this make conventional universities irrelevant down the line?
A. No never. In fact conventional and open universities will have to play a collaborative role. The reason I say this is because our course materials are designed and developed by teachers who are employed with conventional universities. So we would want them to ultimately offer these courses (from IGNOU) through their own conventional universities, thus adding a variety to the educational knowledge a student gains. This is the way open and conventional universities in the rest of the world are operating and we should also look in that direction. Lot of people say that with technology coming into force teachers may loose their jobs etc. But I believe that teachers will get more work but will need to adapt to the technology which will deliver more and more of the study material to students.
Q. What are the latest projects that IGNOU is working on?
A. Yesterday the ministry of social justice and empowerment asked us to go ahead to establish the first sign language institute in entire Asia. It will be called the Indian Sign Language Institute and will be based out of our Delhi campus with a dedicated infrastructure of its own. Here we will train students from all over the world in the sign language so that they can impart education in schools or colleges for the deaf and mute. We are always looking for collaboration with other universities so that education can reach more and more students. In Nagpur also you saw how we have started the bachelor preparatory course in Marathi medium and a specific course for prisoners.
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