Everything You Need To Know About IGNOU
Although Delhi University campus life is as vibrant as you have heard, it is not the only university that is famous. IGNOU is a one-of-a kind university, famous for its distance education.
Introduction
IGNOU, or the Indira Gandhi National Open University, is one of the most well-known open universities, IGNOU is a pioneer in distance education. Established in 1985, the university has come a long way in the past few years, offering a wide range of courses at different levels, from undergraduate to doctoral.
The beauty of IGNOU lies in its flexibility and accessibility to students from all walks of life, regardless of their age, location, or educational background. It's an Open University so you don't need to attend any college for most of the courses. So life is the same as it is in your home.
Although sometimes students go to college. By college, I mean study centers to submit their assignments & to conduct practicals where you can experience college life and meet new students of different backgrounds. The university offers many courses in various fields, catering to the diverse needs and interests of students.
History Of IGNOU
Indira Gandhi National Open University known as IGNOU, is a Central University located in New Delhi, India. Named after former Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi, the university was established in 1985 after the Parliament of India passed the Indira Gandhi National Open University Act, 1985 (IGNOU Act 1985). IGNOU is run by the central government of India, and with a total active enrollment of over 4 million students, it claims to be the largest university in the world.
IGNOU was founded to serve the Indian population by means of distance and open education, providing quality higher education opportunities to all segments of society. It also aims to encourage, coordinate, and set standards for distance and open education in India and to strengthen the human resources of India through education.
Apart from teaching and research, extension and training form the mainstay of its academic activities. It also acts as a national resource center, and serves to promote and maintain standards of distance education in India. IGNOU hosts the Secretariats of the SAARC Consortium on Open and Distance Learning (SACODiL) and the Global Mega Universities Network (GMUNET), initially supported by UNESCO.
Why IGNOU?
Courses Offered
IGNOU offers a wide variety of courses in various disciplines. The university offers undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma, and certificate courses. Over 200 programs in various fields like science, arts, humanities, commerce, education, and more are offered by the university.
Some of the popular courses offered by IGNOU are Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.), Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com.), Master of Arts (M.A.), Master of Science (M.Sc.), and Master of Commerce (M.Com.). The university also offers courses in law, journalism, social work, and library science.
In addition, a number of vocational courses are also available. These courses include fashion designing, computer programming, and beauty therapy, among others.
Library
The IGNOU library is the most resourceful information center in the field of Distance Education. The library has the largest collection of books, journals, and other related materials in the field of Distance Education, throughout the country.
The Central Library caters to the needs of academic, administrative, and supportive staff and students at its headquarters. Using Koha (Library Management software package) Web OPAC, users can search the library online catalogue by author, title, subject, and keywords.
IGNOU keeps in check and regulate the development of special collection of distance education books and journals at the libraries at the Headquarters as well as Regional Centers. IGNOU, take measures to enable remote access to electronic content for distance learners and create comparable information experience.
Placement Opportunities
Students of IGNOU have plenty of job offers, depending on course to course. Top recruiting companies had come to IGNOU which were WIPRO and INFOSYS; Different MNCs like TCS, Wipro, Concentrix, IBM, Dell, Deloitte, Google, Amazon, Flipkart, and Microsoft have come to IGNOU for placement. Students also got internship opportunities at Byjus and Unacademy.
The highest package that a student got is 12 LPA, and the lowest package that a student got is 5 LPA, depending on course to course.
NIRF Ranking
According to the 2022 NIRF ranking, IGNOU ranked 71th. The Subcontinent University rank of IGNOU is 17th.
Societies
Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) offers a variety of societies and clubs that will interest you. These societies cater to different interests and passions. The choice of joining a society to join solely depends on your personal preferences and areas of interest. However, here are some popular societies at IGNOU in Delhi that you might consider:
Cultural Society: Promotes cultural diversity, organizes events, and celebrates festivals.
Literary Society: Fosters literary activities, such as writing workshops, debates, and book clubs.
Sports Society: Encourages participation in sports and organizes tournaments and fitness programs.
Photography Society: Provides a platform for photography enthusiasts to share their work and learn from experts.
Entrepreneurship Development Cell: Supports aspiring entrepreneurs through workshops, mentoring, and networking opportunities.
Environment Society: Focuses on environmental conservation and sustainability initiatives.
National Service Scheme (NSS) - This society focuses on community service and aims to instil social welfare in students.
National Cadet Corps (NCC) - This society is for students who are interested in military training, discipline, and adventure activities.
Youth Red Cross (YRC) - This society emphasises community service, disaster relief, and health and hygiene awareness.
IGNOU Film Club - This society allows students to explore their interest in filmmaking and film culture through workshops, screenings, and discussions.
These societies can provide opportunities for you to develop new skills, build social connections and contribute to the community while enhancing your overall university experience.
These were just only examples, there are many more societies to explore at IGNOU. My suggestion: explore the offerings, attend introductory sessions, and join the societies which interest you.
Research Unit
The Research Unit was established at the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) in 2008. Research Unit work includes conducting Research Council and Research Council's Standing Committee meetings for developing policies and frameworks for the conduct of research activities.
The Research unit aims to register and monitor all full-time and part-time MPhil and PhD candidates. Also encourages Research Teaching Assistants to conduct research and teaching. Research unit conduct workshops/seminars on research methodology.
Classes
Classes for IGNOU are not regular, they happen only on weekends for which you have to go to the study center provided for you. Earlier, attendance was not compulsory, but changes do happen. So, it's better to be updated all the time. Do check and ask about the attendance before taking admission to IGNOU.
Advantages
Advantages of being in IGNOU are many from Flexible admission rules to Individualized study flexibility in terms of Place, Pace & Duration, Nationwide accessibility. Student support services network, Cost effective programmes, Resource Sharing, Collaboration & Networking with other Universities, Programmes based on Students need analysis are some of the benefits of students enrolled in IGNOU.
Vibe Check At IGNOU
Teachers are very helpful to the students for their studies. Semester exam are not difficult. The teachers are very knowledgeable and experienced. The campus life is good with the students. The whole group of students co-operate with each other. The extracurricular activities are done at the high.
IGNOU Headquarter
The Indira Gandhi National Open University operates through a three-tier system having University Headquarters at Maidan Garhi, New Delhi; Regional Centres and Learner Support Centers scattered all over the country.
Indira Gandhi National Open University, Maidan Garhi, Delhi – 110068
The nearest metro stations to IGNOU HQ are Saket metro station, Qutub Minar metro station, Chattarpur metro station. The distance from all the metro stations are same and you have to take an auto from the metro station to reach. Cafe 95, Taste Of China and Khana Gharana in Chhatarpur Enclave, Rose Cafe and Jugmug Thela in saket are some of the nearby cafe near IGNOU headquaters.
Conclusion
IGNOU has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Though, IGNOU is a great option for those who are unable to attend regular classes. University offers a wide range of courses and flexible learning options, making it accessible to students from all backgrounds. The fees are affordable, and the course material is comprehensive.
Rest depends on you, how you interact, how and with whom you make friends which will decide how your life will be at IGNOU.
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