IGNOU to relaunch its Centres Abroad

Updated on: Thursday, September 24, 2015

ignou The Indira Gandhi National Open University IGNOU will soon resume its operations in nine centres abroad and start fresh enrollment of international students, two years after it had to withdraw the facilities across 84 countries due to legal complications.

The IGNOU had to abruptly stop enrollment of students abroad Studies Centres (OSCs) due to legal issues after host nation's objected to its direct agreements with the foreign institutes. While earlier the varsity had its centres in 84 countries, they were reduced to 29 due to administrative hassles but fresh enrollments even there had to be completely withdrawn in 2013.

However, IGNOU had been facilitating classes, end-term examination and other processes for the students who were enrolled prior to 2013. "We have sent a proposal to the HRD ministry and it is in the advanced stage. We are likely to get an approval for nine study centres abroad including those in Gulf, South Asian and African countries from January 2016 cycle," IGNOU Vice Chancellor Nageshwar Rao said.

He added that, "We have had our centres abroad but there were certain legal deformities and we had to discontinue it in 2013. Earlier IGNOU used to have an MoU with the partner institutions in the respective countries but the same was not routed through embassies or government channels."

When the operations of OSCs were kept in abeyance, the student strength across all the centres abroad was 40,000. "So once the majority agreements came to an end, the government also said that we should have a fool proof system, hence we have gone for the new mechanism and from the upcoming session fresh enrollments will begin in 9 countries," the IGNOU VC said.

IGNOU, is a central-government university which offers bachelors, masters, diploma and certificate courses in various subjects through distance mode.

IGNOU to relaunch its Centres Abroad

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