Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Hall ticket June 2012 Term-End Examination

Dear Learner,

Please visit the following link to download your Hall Ticket for June 2012 Term-End Examination

http://www.ignou.ac.in/upload/Hall%20Ticket%20june%202012.htm

Hall Ticket June 2012 Exams


Best of Luck and Best wishes for Exams.


Naveen Raj Bhatia

Centre In-charge


Thursday, May 10, 2012

IGNOU organizes five-day art exhibition


The Masters in Fine Arts (MFA) final year on-campus students of the Indira Gandhi National Open University’s (IGNOU’s) School of Performing and Visual Arts (SOPVA) showcased their talent by organizing five day ‘IGNOU Annual Art Exhibition 2012’ at the India Habitat Centre in the national capital.
14 students participated in the exhibition and painted their mind on the canvas. The paintings were available for sale. Vice Chancellor, Prof. M. Aslam, IGNOU, visited the exhibition and lauded their talent. He expressed that there is no better instrument than the works of art for transmitting the legacy of the past to the future generations and inculcating a wide interest among them especially the youth in every field of endeavour – artistic, intellectual and social.
The VC interacted individually with every participant as they explained him their masterpieces and in a testimonial diary wrote, “It was educating to interact with the future artists who are full of ideas and enthusiasm. I am confident about their bright future.”
Prof. Sunil Kumar, Director, SOPVA, felt that this exhibition is to focus on areas of knowledge and professional specialization. It is the first effort of the university to showcase the work of art of the students of MFA Painting to the art world.

Higher Education in India at a Glance: UGC report


University Grants Commission (UGC) - the apex regulator for higher education in India has come out with a report and sent it to all the universities in the country stating present scenario of higher education in India. The report, ‘Higher Education in India at a Glance’ prepared by the Chairman, Ved Praksah and other senior UGC members, states the vital statistics pertaining to higher education in the country in terms of number of institutions, type of degree awarding institutions and the enrolment ratio etc  in past 61 years (1950 to 2011). The report highlights encouraging figures in the growth in number of institutions and enrolment ratio but it also shows that this growth is more in professional streams. It also potrays a dismal picture on the research and development front.
As per the report, presently there are 634 degree awarding institutions in the country with Tamil Nadu leading the chart with 59, followed by 58 in Uttar Pradesh, 48 in Rajasthan, 44 in Maharashtra and Karnataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal having 42, 36, 28 and 26 respectively. The eight states of North-East have 40 such institutions with Assam having 10, Meghalaya, 9. Rest of the six NE states Sikkim, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur and Tripura having 5, 4,3,3,3 and 3 respectively. The small number of institutions in these states can be due to the small size of these states. But we also have to admit that many students from this region move to different central universities thereby raising questions on the quality of higher education being provided by these institutions.
The report also says that out of the total degree awarding institutions 47 per cent (297) are state universities followed by deemed universities with 20 per cent share (129). The central universities and institutes of national importance and other university level institutions standing at 7 and 10 per cent each. Interestingly, the private universities are just 100 in number accounting for 16 per cent share.
Detailing about the growth of higher education institutions in India in past 60 years the report says that in 1950 the total number of universities were 30 (most of them government run or funded) and the number of colleges at that time were 695 which means on an average 23 colleges per university. In 2011 the numbers of universities has grown 30 folds and are 634 while the numbers of colleges are 33,023, averaging 55 colleges per university, thus putting huge pressure on the university administration in managing these institutions. It is also to be mentioned that out of these 634 universities, 100 are private.
While talking about the growth in student enrolment the report states that in 1950 the total number of students enrolled in higher education institutions was 3, 97, 000. The growth witnessed is steady till 2001 and stood at 83, 99, 000 but saw an unprecedented surge in next 10 years. In 2010-11 it stands at 1, 69, 75, 000 a figure that has almost doubled in the last decade. Representing the enrolment of girls during the same period, the report states in 1950 the figure was 43, 000 and in 2001 it stood at 33, 06, 000 while in 2010-11 it reached 70, 49, 000.
On the much debatable topic of research, the report paints a dismal picture stating that the student enrollment in this area is not encouraging. Talking about enrolment by stages, the report says that 86 per cent students complete their Graduation, while only 12 per cent opt for Post-Graduate programmes and only 1 per cent opts for research thus making it clear that the students either do not have zeal for pursuing post graduation and research or have better career option available after graduation. The rest 1 per cent go for diploma or certificate courses.
The report goes in detail and states that maximum numbers of students from both the sexes choose Humanities stream followed by engineering by boys and girls choose science while management or commerce stream is still the third preference. Meanwhile, programmes in Agriculture, Education and Veterinary sciences have very few takers.     
Talking about the public expenditure in education the report states that in 1950 education had 7.92 per cent share of total public expenditure which was 0.64 per cent of the GDP. In 2009 it stood at 13.63 per cent of total public expenditure and 3.77 per cent of GDP. Of this the higher education got 32.3 per cent.
It can be concluded from the findings of this UGC report that despite of growth in terms of number of colleges and enrolment the numbers are not sufficient enough to cater to the education needs of increasing young population of this country. It is also evident from the above report that there is lack of interest among students to opt for research projects that could be attributed to the reason such as they prefer lucrative jobs which could fetch them more money than spending years in doing research and getting very little compensation during that period. The reason could also be that there is lack of motivation to do research and the teaching community cannot shy away from the fact that they are not able to generate that motivation and interest among their students. The onus also lies on the bodies like UGC and AICTE and the universities to provide adequate facilities to young researchers along with good compensation for them to proceed in that direction.

Acting IGNOU VC agrees to revoke decision on ending regular courses

The furore over doing away with the regular courses being run at the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has come to an end, confirmed a university official. The Acting Vice-Chancellor of the Open University Professor M Aslam, has reportedly, agreed to revoke his decision while agreeing to give a written assurance for the same.
Over 200 students from 21 regular courses of IGNOU were on indefinite hunger strike since the last 20 days protesting against VCs decision. The students in order to have a word with Prof Aslam closed the main gate. Meanwhile, the VC called police and all the students were detained. 
“It so happened that despite this indefinite hunger strike since so many days, the VC did not come to meet us. So today we closed the main gate to have a word with the VC. He called police and all of us were detained,” said Ashish Sharma, student, IGNOU. 
According to Sharma, directors from 14 departments also joined their protest. “There was a meeting with the police official and our VC, and he has agreed to revoke his decision and give a written assurance on that,” said Sharma.
While students dubbed the decision as ‘abrupt’ on the VC’s part, a senior official said a meeting was held and some concrete decisions have been taken regarding the issue.
[Source: Deccan Herald]

IGNOU VC Appointment: Sibal rejects shortlisted candidates


The appointment of Vice-Chancellor in Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has been further delayed as Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Kapil Sibal has rejected all three candidates shortlisted by a search-cum-selection committee. The minister said that the selected candidates are not ‘ideal’ for the top post.
The committee that was headed by space scientist K Kasturirangan shortlisted Prof D P Singh, former vice-chancellor of Banaras Hindu University; Prof KK Agarwal, former VC Indraprastha University, Delhi; and Prof Manoj Mishra, VC, Lucknow University.
The ministry has now referred the issue to the President of India, who is Visitor to all central universities, to recommend the next course of action, that is, whether the same search panel should suggest a fresh set of candidates or a new search panel should be constituted.
According to highly placed sources, some very eminent academicians that include IIT directors and vice-chancellors have been purposefully ‘overlooked’ in the short listing process.
The post of IGNOU VC has been vacant since the time Rajasekharan Pillai completed his term in October 2011. The search for his successor has had its fair share of controversy. Well-known agriculture scientist and Rajya Sabha MP M S Swaminathan and NIIT chairman Rajendra Pawar were originally on the search-cum-selection panel, but had to step down following allegations of a conflict of interest by the university staff. The IGNOU Board of Management headed by Pillai had nominated the two to the selection panel formed to search his successor.
As per norms, the two persons nominated by board of management should not be employed in any way by IGNOU.
[Source: Indian Express]

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Sustaining the white revolution with IGNOU

The Indira Gandhi National Open University’s (IGNOU’s) School of Agriculture (SOA) invites application for Diploma in Dairy Technology for July 2012 session. The programme has been developed with the support of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.

According to Prof. M. K .Salooja, Dircetor, SOA, the basic objective of the programme is to develop technician level human resource for dairy industry. The programme imparts knowledge and technical proficiency in clean milk production and handling, processing, manufacture of western and indigenous dairy products, testing and quality control of milk and milk products, marketing and economical aspects, managing small and medium enterprises and facilitate good manufacturing practices in the processing sector. It also imparts development of skills for entrepreneurship to encourage self employment in dairy processing activities. The weightage to theory and practical component is equal (50: 50).

The diploma programme consists of eight courses of four credits each. The eligibility requirement for the diploma programme is 10+2 pass or the applicant should have completed the Bachelor Preparatory Programme (BPP) from IGNOU. However, 10th pass can enroll simultaneously for the BPP and the diploma programme.The diploma programme can be completed minimum in one year and maximum in four years duration.The programme is offered in English and Hindi languages. The rural students and below poverty line urban students are eligible for 50% fee concession. The programme obviates the skill gaps at the operator level and provides job opportunities at the level of technician in the dairy plants.

Interested learners can procure the common student handbook and prospectus from their nearest regional centers or from the university’s headquarters at Maidan Garhi on payment of Rs.100. However, the application form is also available on the university’s website www.ignou.ac.in which can be downloaded, filled and submitted to the regional centre along with the amount of Rs.100 in addition to the programme fee in the form of demand draft in favor of IGNOU, payable at the city where the regional centre is located.


Sustaining the White Revolution with IGNOU