India is a developing country experiencing its journey of socio-economic growth.In the present scenario, the role of education and in particular ‘continuing education’ is a significant driver to the growth and development of India. Continuing education programmes channelize knowledge and skills to learners and workers in different sectors while helping them stay current with the latest developments, leading to enhancement of their professional and vocational skills.

Vision

Lifelong learning is the vision of the School of Continuing Education. The benefits of continuing education are ‘life long,’ as it continuously strives to fulfil the educational, professional and vocational needs of learners.

Mission

The School of Continuing Education aims to build professional competencies by focussing on a unique basket of skill based programmes for promoting inclusiveness and sustainable development.

Background

The School of Continuing Education (SOCE), when conceptualized, started with programmes in two broad disciplinary areas: Rural Development and Women’s Education.In the process of its growth, certain important areas of concern were identified and addressed through a number of programmes such as Rural Development, Child Development, Disability, Youth and Development Work, Nutrition, Food Safety and Dietetics.

With the establishment of new Schools, a number of programmes that were housed in SOCE were relocated to the respective Schools. Accordingly, Post-Graduate Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication was relocated to the School of Journalism and Media Studies;the Bachelor of Social Work, Master of Social Work, Certificate in HIV and Family Education, and Diploma in HIV and Family Educationwere transferred to the School of Social Work; and the Discipline of Women’s Studies was housed in the School of Gender and Development Studies.

Simultaneously, the Disciplines of Nutritional Sciences and Child Development got created in the School.In a subsequent meeting of the Academic Council, the Discipline of Home Science was added to the already assigned Disciplines.

SOCE presently has the following four Disciplines assigned to it by the Academic Council:

• Rural Development
• Nutritional Sciences
• Child Development
• Home Science

The School has currently on offer a Ph.D. programme in two Discipline areas; three Master’s Degree level programmes; two Post-Graduate Diploma Programmes; four Diploma Programmes; four Certificate programmes; and three elective & application-oriented Courses.

Rural Development

The Discipline of Rural Development is of vital significance for understanding the developmental issues related to rural society. A large number of professionals and functionaries are required to serve as specialist manpower in the field of rural development. The programmes of study in rural development are in response to this felt need for trained manpower in rural development. In view of this the following programmes are on offer:
• Ph.D. in Rural Development {PHD(RD)}
• Master of Arts in Rural Development (MARD)
• Post-Graduate Diploma in Rural Development (PGDRD)
• Diploma in Panchayat Level Administration & Development (DPLAD)
• Certificate Programme in Rural Development (CRD)
• Elective in Rural Development (as part of BDP)

Nutritional Sciences

The Discipline of Nutritional Sciences is devoted to the study of human nutrition and combines and provides expertise in public nutrition, clinical and therapeutic nutrition, institution food service management, food sciences and technology, food safety and quality control. It has the prospects of a potential employment sector. The following programmes are on offer:
• PhD in Nutritional Sciences {PHD(FN)}
• Master of Science Degree in Dietetics and Food Service Management {MSc.(DFSM)}
• Nutrition for the Community (ANC)
• Diploma in Nutrition and Health Education (DNHE)
• Certificate in Food and Nutrition (CFN)
• Certificate in Nutrition and Child Care (CNCC-1)
• Post Graduate Diploma in Pediatric Nutrition (PGDPN) - (On hold)
• Post Graduate Certificate in Pediatric Nutrition (PGCPN) - (On hold)
• Certificate in Food Safety (CFS) - (On hold)

Child Development

The Discipline of Child Development is devoted to the study of childhood and human development in the socio-cultural context, with particular focus on the critical early childhood years. The programmes of study offered in this Discipline provide an understanding of the developmental challenges and life-cycle issues in a life-span perspective. The focal areas in the Discipline of Child Development for programme development are the following: Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE); Inclusion of children with disabilities;Training parents and family members of children with disabilities; Early and Middle Childhood, Adolescence and Adulthood; Understanding and nurturing the development of the individual in the familial and cultural context; and Counselling and Family Therapy. The following programmes are on offer:
• Organising Child Care Services (ACC-1)
• Certificate in Nutrition and Child Care (CNCC-2)
• Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education (DECE)
• Post Graduate Diploma in Counselling and Family Therapy (PGDCFT)
• Master of Science in Counselling and Family Therapy, M.Sc. (CFT)

Home Science

Home Science is a relatively new Discipline to the School of Continuing Education. This Discipline incorporates many pertinent life skills in its fold, and the modern trends in Home Science are seeing an emerging class of professionals who lead projects in government departments, and national and international agencies. In addition to the development of valuable intrapersonal skills, the Discipline introduces the students to potential career paths such as Community Resource Management & Extension, and Fabric &Apparel Sciences. Keeping in view a lifelong learning approach and contemporary developments in the field of Home Science, niche educational interventions are being initiated in the School under these two sub-disciplines of Home Science.At present the following programmes are on offer:
• Ph.D. in Home Science
• Diploma in Event Management (DEVMT)