Over 1.9 lakh awarded degrees at IGNOU convocation

Tribune News Service and PTI

New Delhi, August 8

The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) today awarded degrees, diplomas and certificates to 1,92,000 students at its 28th convocation.

The credentials awarded at the convocation included 98 PhD degrees, 25 MPhil degrees, 47,198 Masters Degrees, 75,305 Bachelors Degrees, 51,253 Diplomas and 17,939 certificates.

The figures, however, have gone down as against last year when 2.3 lakh students were awarded degrees and diplomas.

The convocation ceremony was telecast live for the very first time on DD Bharti from the varsity’s convention centre.

In his convocation address, former UGC chairperson Hari Gautam, exhorted the youth to take the onus of leading India to far greater heights and be part of the biggest democracy. “New education demands new understanding. Time has now come that we cast our apprehensions and inhibitions and place ODL system at same pedestal as practiced at the conventional universities,” said Gautam who is currently the president of the Mahatma Gandhi University of Medical Science and Technology.

IGNOU Vice Chancellor Nageshwar Rao presented an annual report of the varsity’s achievements and new initiatives taken during the period.

“The open university system in India has been so far depending on the models and experiences of similar systems in other developed countries. Now it is time that we make efforts to contextualise these models looking at social fabric of the country,” said DP Singh, former VC of Lucknow University, who was the guest of honour at the convocation.

“Distance education in the country in this context has to serve as a means and also as a process of social transformation. In addition, to providing opportunities for obtaining higher educational qualifications, open varsities should focus on capacity building of existing workforce and contribute to enhanced productivity,” Singh added.

Various awards, including Prof G Ram Reddy Award, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Award, Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (CEMCA) Award, Mother Teresa Award and Prof Grover Award, were presented to meritorious students at the convocation.

IGNOU which came into existence in 1985 has a student strength of 28,10,958 enrolled in 228 degree, diploma and certificate programmes by the varsity. Besides teaching and research, extension and training form the mainstay of its academic activities, it also acts as a national resource centre to promote and maintain standards of distance education in India.