NEW DELHI, June 4: Amidst rifles, Bofors guns and wireless sets, armymen stationed in remote corners of the country now have the option of study material from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) for company. It won't be long before their counterparts sailing the high seas and those flying helicopters and fighter aircraft will also have a chance to pursue higher education through IGNOU.With the open university signing a memorandum of understanding with the Army last week, its personnel can now pursue management, engineering, computers, journalism, rural development and distance education-related courses from their posts. They do not have to visit IGNOU for the necessary prospectus and application forms.
The command headquarters will make the documents available at their posts. Director, Regional Services Centre, Dr P.K. Mehta told Express Newsline ``IGNOU will set up study centres in remote areas as the need be. Teachers and counsellors will be appointed from within the Army. However, IGNOU will have 100 per cent academic control. Examinations will be conducted by IGNOU at the study centre.'' Interested candidates can buy application forms for the next academic session beginning January 2000.
According to IGNOU PRO Ravi Mohan, the arrangement will help establish continuity of education for armymen who face frequent transfers. Vice Chancellor Prof A.W. Khan said that as troops stationed in remote areas throughout the year stay on the fringes of mainstream education, they automatically become a target group for IGNOU. When the open university was set up in 1986, it aimed at providing education to masses living in the thousands of villages which do not have regular education facilities.
IGNOU authorities believe that if the MoU signed with the Army is successful, they would sign similar agreements with the Navy and the Air Force. ``Officers from the two forces have already approached us with similar proposals,'' says PRO Ravi Mohan.
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