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Open
Universities
Many young persons miss
out on formal education due to a number of reasons, such as
family circumstances or lack of opportunities. Such students
need not despair. They can take up studies through
correspondence offered by a number of universities. In the
Open University system, they can even obtain degrees they
want without any background of formal education. A new
addition has been on-line education, or doing courses on the
Internet, through which one can take up studies regardless of
limitations of location or time. In this feature, we cover
two universities, the Indira Gandhi National Open University
(IGNOU) and Annamalai University, which offer opportunities
to complete ones education and also give details of on line
education.
India is a huge country. People live in remote areas where
facilities of education do not exist. Much of the emphasis of
the government too is in bigger cities, leaving a person
living in smaller towns and villages at a disadvantage. There
are also a number of people who have to start working at an
early age, who miss out on an opportunity of higher
education. For such persons, doing courses through
correspondence or through the Open University system is a
viable alternative. The eligibility conditions are not very
strict and one can take up such courses irrespective of where
one lives.
Correspondence courses are offered by a number of State
universities, including many foreign universities, which have
been advertising their courses in India for some time now. In
recent years, two Indian universities have become very
popular and have awarded degrees to thousands of aspirants
all over the countryAnnamalai University and IGNOU. These
universities are also quite cheap and do not impose a heavy
burden on the student, besides being convenient.
Annamalai University has a large correspondence department
offering a wide variety of courses. It also has an Open
University scheme through which one can do under-graduate and
post-graduate courses. The following options are available:
Undergraduate Courses (3 years each):
(a) BA in History, Sociology, Psychology, Economics, English
and Tamil. (b) BBA (c) B.Sc in Mathematics, Electronic
Science, Computer Science, Applied Chemistry.
Eligibility: A pass in Pre-University/Higher Secondary/Second
year of Foundation Course. For B.Sc, Maths, Physics or
Chemistry is required at school level.
Post-graduate Courses (2 years):
(a) MA in Tamil, English, History, Sociology, Psychology,
Economics, Population Studies, Public Administration.
Eligibility : Any degree.
(b) M.Sc in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Zoology, Botany.
Eligibility: B.Sc with the respective subject as the main
subject.
(c) M.Com, M.Com Co-operative Management.
Eligibility: B.Com, BA, BBA etc.
(d) MBA, 3 years, approved by AICTE.
Eligibility : Any degree.
Law courses :
(a) Post graduate course ML (Master of Law), 3 years.
Eligibility : BL.
(b) Degree Courses: Bachelor of Academic Laws, B.A.L. 3 years
and Bachelor of General Laws, B.G.L. 2 years. Eligibility :
Any degree.
(c) Diploma Courses : Diploma in Labour and Administrative
Law/Taxation, 1 year each. Eligibility: Any degree.
Diploma and PG Diploma Courses, 1 year each:
(a) Management RelatedMaterials, Marketing, Finance, Tourism
and Personnel Management, Advertising, Public Relations,
Business Administration, Management Accounting.
Eligibility:
Any degree.
(b) Engineering RelatedConcrete Technology, Construction
Management, Chemical Process and Instrumentation, Maintenance
Management, Sugar, Fertiliser Technology, Industrial Safety,
Industrial Pollution, Industry Hygiene, Energy Management,
Operations Research, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning.
Eligibility: B.Sc in related field or engineering degree.
(c) Agriculture related Horticulture Nursery Management,
Mushroom Technology, Biopesticides Technology, Seed
Production and Technology,
Eligibility: A pass in class 12.
(d) Other diplomasMineral Exploration and Mining,
Hydrogeology, Petroleum Exploration, Population and Health
Management, Rural Development, Banking, Co-operative
Management, Guidance and Counselling. Eligibility: Graduate
in related field.
Certificate Courses, 1 year each: Automobile Technology,
Offset Printing, Office Management. Eligibility: A pass in X
standard.
Library Science, 1 year each: Bachelor/Master of Library and
Information Science, Certificate course in Library Science.
Open University System:
(a) PG courses, 2 years: MA in Tamil, English, History,
Sociology, Economics, Population Studies, Public
Administration, M.Com Co-operative Management. (b)
Under-graduate courses: BA in Tamil, English, History,
Sociology, Psychology, Economics, Population Studies,
Political Science, B.Com, BBA, B.Sc in Mathematics. (c)
Diploma course in Saiva Sidhanta. Eligibility: No formal
educational qualification is required. Minimum age should be
18 years for U.G. courses and 21 years for P.G. courses.
Applicants have to pass an entrance test after undergoing the
orientation course.
The medium of instruction is English. The last date for
receipt of completed application forms is July 9, 1999 for
MBA, August 18, 1999 for all other courses and June 29, 1999
for Open University scheme. Application forms and prospectus
can be obtaine from: Director, Directorate of Distance
Education, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar 608 002 along
with a DD for Rs 250 for MBA and Rs 50 for all other courses
and a s.a.s.e. 27 &Mac215; 21 cm. The University has a large
number of study centres all over the country.
The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) similarly
offers a large number of courses and diplomas. Some of these
are given below.
Preparatory Programme: Bachelors Preparatory Programme
leading to BA, B.Com for non 10 + 2.
Undergraduate courses: BA, B.Com, B.Sc, Bachelors in Tourism
Studies, Nursing, Construction Management and Water Resource
Engineering, Library and Information Science.
Masters Courses: MA in Distance Education, Library and
Information Science.
PG Diplomas: Distance Education, Higher Education, Maternal
and Child Health, Journalism and Mass Communications,
Translation, Writing for Radio, Rural Development, Tourism
Studies.
Diplomas/Certificates: Tourism Studies, Creative Writing in
English/Hindi, Early Childhood Care and Education, Nutrition
and Health Education, Rural Development, English Teaching,
Guidance, Food and Nutrition, Child Care, Disaster
Management, Environmental Studies, Participatory Forest
Management.
The session for the above will commence in January, 2000. The
prospectus can be obtained from IGNOU Regional Centre, A-24
Durga Chambers, Raj Nagar Distt Centre, Ghaziabad, or any of
its study centres on payment of Rs 50. An electronic version
of the prospectus can be downloaded from the IGNOU website at
http://www.ignou.edu.
Many students are desirous of doing computer courses. IGNOU
offers an opportunity to do these courses through tele-learning
centres having the infrastructure for delivery of programmes
which will include live satellite-based teleconferencing
lectures, video lectures, practical laboratories and
Internet-based learning resources.
At present two courses have been offered:
Bachelor of Information Technology (BIT), and (b) Advanced
Diploma in Information Technology (ADIT).
The BIT is a 3-year intensive degree programme to be covered
in nine trimesters, of which the first five comprise Higher
National Diploma (HND) in Computing and Multimedia of Edexcel
Foundation, UK. Students have the option of obtaining a
Higher National Certificate (HNC) at the end of one year.
After five trimesters, students will receive the BTECHND,
followed by the BIT degree after nine timesters. After the
BIT, students are eligible to enter the second year of the
MCA programme of IGNOU. The eligibility for admission to BIT
is class 12 of any recognised board.
The ADIT is a one-year diploma course aimed at developing
software professionals in the areas of Object Oriented
Systems, Visual Programming, Relational Database Management,
Data Communication and Networking, Data Structures, Component
Programming, Information System Security, Internet
Technologies and E-commerce. On completion of ADIT, students
are eligible to enter the second year of the MCA programme of
IGNOU. The eligibility for admission to ADIT is a graduate
degree from any recognised or deemed university. The entrance
test for these two courses will be conducted on August 1,
1999 and the last date for submission of form is June 30,
1999. Students handbook and prospectus can be obtained from
SR&E Extn, IGNOU, K-76 Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110 016 by
sending a DD for Rs 350. The prospectus can also be
downloaded from the IGNOU website given above. The entrance
test application form is to be sent to Director, SR&E
Division, IGNOU, Maidan Garhi, New Delhi 110 068.
The above courses are ideal for people who may be working in
jobs and have less time at their disposal to pursue a
full-time course. The great advantage of the Internet is that
it can connect people in the most remote areas. Even if mail
reaches late in your area, you can communicate instantly with
your teachers if you have Internet access. You can also
communicate with your classmates and form friendships in what
is known as Virtual Campus. However, it remains to be seen
how IGNOU develops this great opportunity, since government
departments usually are unable to tap such technologies.
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