IGNOU goes online; Registers unprecedented growth
17 September, 2015
Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) introduced the online admission system for the first time for July 2015 admission cycle. The university has received 45,000 applications for fresh registration online across the country, making this experiment successful. The university intends to extend this facility for all admission cycles fresh and re-registrations beginning from January 2016.
University has registered an unprecedented growth in the fresh registration for July 2015. In terms of absolute numbers university has registered more than 3.0 lakh students for July 2015 cycle. This includes online/offline/Vertical Mobility offered for Defence personnel under the Community College Scheme.
The admission cycle July 2015 has brought more than 68,000 new students first time. There is an increase of more than 29% in July 2015 compared to July 2014. The student’s registration in the difficult and remote regions, like North East (7 states) and J&K have also shown increase. IGNOU has registered 4% growth in the Northeastern States and 20 % in Jammu and Kashmir. In-fact IGNOU has 9 Regional Centres in the Northeast and 2 Regional Centres in J&K to provide greater access and equity.
Major increase has been noticed in Masters and Bachelors degree programmes across the country. It varies from region to region. Of the 56 Regional Centres of the university, most of them have registered an increase in student registration for July 2015. For example, IGNOU Regional Centres like, Itanagar in Northeast registered more than 35% growth, and Jammu in the extreme North registered more than 25% growth in the fresh registrations for July 2015.
Substantial increase has been noticed in BA, B.Com, B.Sc, Tourism Studies and Social Work (Undergraduate) and M.Com., MA Eng., Masters in Hindi, Political Science, Public Administration, Tourism Studies, Sociology, Psychology, Philosophy, Rural Development, Masters in Dietetics, and Masters in Social Work across all regions.
The University while keeping its commitment with the Indian Army and Indian Air Force under Project Gyandeep (Army) and Akashdeep (Air Force) has also permitted the vertical mobility into the 3rd year of BA/ BCom/ Bsc (Hons) Applied Sciences for the session July 2015. This initiative has been welcomed by the Airmen and Army men. For the session July 2015, the University has already received more than 7500 application forms for Bachelor Degree programme under the scheme.
A few lakh students have already been enrolled under the scheme for Certificates, Diplomas, and Associate Degrees leading to Graduation in the past few years. Thousands of students completing Associate Degrees will be joining Degrees programmes in IGNOU in due course of time under the Vertical Mobility Scheme.
