IGNOUs first community college to come up in Kerala

Updated on: Wednesday, November 04, 2009

Kerala: The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), for the first time in its history, will set up a community college campus in the district.

Addressing a news conference here on Friday, Anto Antony MP, who took the initiative for the unique project, said that the Pathanamthitta IGNOU campus would be inaugurated by Union Minister of State for Human Resources Development Purandeswari in mid-November. An amount of Rs 20 lakh from his MP fund will be spent for setting up the campus, Anto Antony said.

IGNOU Vice-Chancellor Dr VN Rajasekharan Pillai is extending whole-hearted support for the new venture, he said. An IGNOU team has already identified two premises for the centre, one near the KSRTC bus station owned by the Malankara Orthodox Church of around 6,500 sq feet and the other at Kaipattoor with an area of 3,500-sq feet, he said.

Classes at the new centre, most of them employment-oriented courses, will begin in January next, he said.

When suitable land is located, a permanent campus centre will be set up, Anto Antony said.

The total number of courses to be offered at the centre will be 38, which include diploma in production of value- added products from cereals, pulses and oilseeds, diploma in value-added products from fruits and vegetables, diploma in meat technology, diploma in dairy technology, diploma in aquaculture, diploma in organic farming, certificate in water harvesting and management and certificate in beekeeping.

In the engineering and technology category, the centre will offer advanced diploma in computer integrated manufacturing and in English, certificate course in teaching of English and functional English. There will be courses in health and nursing, law, management, commerce and economics, environment and arts and culture, he said.

The IGNOU has also offered to set up a Community Polytechnic in the district, Anto Antony said. K Sivadasan Nair MLA, was also present at the news conference.

IGNOUs first community college to come up in Kerala

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