It is a well-known saying that “Development is the best contraceptive”, which indicates that development affects population growth and vice versa. Population and Family Health are important issues in development and so the development studies also. Population Studies focuses on the trends and pattern of population change, which directly affects development and development policies. Population and Family Health Studies is a multi-disciplinary concept which includes diaspora and transnational communities, women in the economy, gender and society, urbanization, ecology and environment, urban development, population and sustainable development. Planned population growth shows positive changes in the society while unplanned population growth affects negatively the physical, natural and human resources. These resources are affected by the population trends and health pattern in the society. It is expected that the policy makers and development agents should be aware of the demographic trends, population distribution and population structure of the society for better implementation and addressing of population and health and family welfare related projects and programmes. This programme covers areas such as demographic indicators, measuring of fertility and mortality, communicable diseases, migration and a host of other issues. All graduates across the disciplines can pursue this programme, particularly the paramedical staff, social welfare officer, legal professional, labor welfare officer, Block Extension Educator, agriculture graduates, social scientist, IT professionals, Agriculture scientist, medical professionals (Nursing), applied statistics, etc. The population studies is also enlisted in UGC-NET.

i) to enhance knowledge of the learners on population dynamics and its related issues and challenges.

ii) to increase the knowledge of learners on migration, health, nutrition, safe drinking water and sanitation.

iii) to impart knowledge of population and its impact on ecology, environment and sustainable development.

iv) to enable the learner to establish relationship between population and human resource management.

v) to increase knowledge and capacities of learner to conduct research and studies on various aspects of population and family health care related issues and challenges.

 

The instructional system MAPFHS also follows multi-media approach i.e. self-instructional print material, audio-video programmes, assignments, face-to-face counseling sessions / contact sessions, optional project work, teleconferencing and interactive radio counseling, among others.

Self-instructional Print Material
The print material is written in self-instructional style. It is in the form of blocks (booklets) specially prepared for theory courses and project work of the programme. Each course has a specific code number assigned to it. They are supplied to each learner along with a set of assignment questions. The learner has to complete the required assignments related to each course. Each course may have 4-5 blocks and each block may have 3-5 units. The printed material for project work is available in the form one booklet with all guidelines.

Audio-video Programmes
The learning package also contains audio-video programmes which are produced by the University for supplementing and enhancement of understanding of the course material given to the student. These programmes are normally of 25-30 minutes duration. These are used at the Study Centres during counseling sessions which are duly scheduled and notified by the Programme In-charge/Co-ordinator of Study Centre for the benefit of the students. The video programmes are also telecast on Gyan Darshan, National Network and enrichment channel of Doordarshan. Similarly, the audio programmes when produced are also broadcast by Gyan Vani and selected stations of All India Radio. Learners can contact Study Centres for further information.

Assignments
Assignments are an integral and compulsory component of the instructional system. There is one tutor-marked assignment for each theory course. Students will have to work on these assignments. Each student should submit the assignment responses to the Coordinator/Programme In-charge of the Study Centre in accordance with the given assignments’ submission schedule. Students can download the assignments from IGNOU website (www.ignou.ac.in) at student’s zone or at SOEDS webpage.

Counseling Sessions
Counseling sessions are held at the Study Centres as per the schedule drawn and notified by the Coordinator/Programme In-charge of the concerned Centre.

Teleconferencing
Teleconferencing sessions are conducted via satellite through interactive Gyan Darshan Channel from the University studios as per the schedule made available to the Regional and Study Centres. It provides an interesting opportunity to the students to interact with the faculty members at the headquarters, and other experts/eminent scholars in the field. The learners will have to go to the nearest reception centre at the scheduled time for taking the benefit of this facility.

Interactive Radio Counseling
Live counseling is provided on radio by invited experts for an hour from different radio stations in the country. Students can ask questions right from their homes through telephone by availing the facility of toll free telephone number 1600112345 provided for this purpose from selected cities.

Project Work
The second year has a total of seven courses to choose from which includes a project work MEDSP-071 and 6 theory courses. Students can opt any five courses to fulfill the requirements of the MAPFHS. The hand book on Project Work provides self-orientation and self-training to the students for doing the project work. All the project proposals are to be submitted to the School directly at the following address.

School of Extension and Development Studies (SOEDS)
Block 15-F
IGNOU
Maidan Garhi
New Delhi-110068.

The completed project report is to be submitted to the Student Evaluation Division.

Please see the ‘MEDSP -071 - Project Handbook’ for guidelines to prepare and submit the project proposal as well as project report.

Prof. B.K. Pattanaik, bkpattanaik@ignou.ac.in

Dr. Sarda Prasad, sardaprasad@ignou.ac.in

Dr Grace Don Nemching; gdnemching@ignou.ac.in