President points to lack of skill training for workforce

It was a point raised by the Minister of State for Human Resources Development D. Purandeswari,who had said in her speech that the percentage of certified workers in developed countries was 80 per cent.

The President launched IGNOUs flexible learning platform FlexiLearn; new Gyan Vani stations; and Gyandeep,the IGNOU-Army Community College initiative.

She also announced the institution of IGNOUs Rajiv Gandhi International Prize for Education and Technology Development worth Rs 5 lakh.

The programme was also attended by Minister of Human Resources Development Kapil Sibal and Planning Commission member Narendra Jadav. The latter later delivered the 24th Foundation Day lecture on Sustainability,Innovation and Inclusion in the Education Sector.

The President also had words of appreciation for the Gyandeep programme,which has generated a lot of excitement in IGNOU.

“I am happy that through this new collaboration between IGNOU and the Army,soldiers will get appropriate certification. This will help them start a new professional life at the end of their career in the Army,” she said.

IGNOU Vice Chancellor V N Rajasekharan Pillai said that Gyandeep would produce 50,000 graduates from the Army each year. Gyandeep is the result of a September 2009 MoU between IGNOU and the Indian Army,wherein 47 Army Regimental Army Training Centres will be converted to Army-IGNOU Community Colleges.

Jawans will be allowed the flexibility to graduate in BA,BSc and BCom programmes at ease,along with in-service certificates.

Pillai said the Gyandeep programme would be compulsory for all jawans without a graduate degree.

Pillai also announced the setting up of the ISRO Chair for Satellite Education and the Raman Chair for Science Education. Former ISRO Chairman Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan will be the first occupant of the former post while former Madras University Vice Chancellor P T Manoharan will occupy the latter.

Kapil Sibal spoke about the capacity of open schools to serve the ‘under-served’ population and give them back the opportunities denied to them. Taking off from the topic of workers acquiring certificates,he said that the acquisition of knowledge and skill should go hand in hand.

He also spoke of breaking the barriers of access,citing technology as the tool that would aid in doing that. “Choices are the ultimate hallmark of any society,” he said.

IGNOU,with 25 lakh students,handles 15 per cent of the higher education in the country.