Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) was established in 1985 by an Act of Parliament with the dual responsibilities of (i) enhancing access and equity to higher education through distance mode and (ii) promoting, coordinating and determining standards in open learning and distance education systems. Since then, the IGNOU has undergone rapid expansion and emerged as an international institution in the field of Open and Distance Learning. As per the provisions of the IGNOU Act, the University is to:
- offer of degree, diploma and certificate programmes related to the needs of employment as necessary for building the economy of the country;
- provide opportunities for higher education to a large cross-section of people, in particular the disadvantaged segments of society;
- promote acquisition and up-gradation of knowledge and offer opportunities for training retraining in the contests of innovation and research;
- encourage an innovative system of university level education, flexible and open with regard to methods and pace of learning, combination of courses, eligibility for enrolment, age of entry, conduct of examination and delivery of the programmes to encourage excellence; and
- coordinate, promote, assess and accredit institutions and programmes offered by open and distance learning system as also to prevent through such measures as are considered appropriate, institutions from offering sub-standard courses and programmes.
