Seven new courses would be offered through the Tiruchi Study Centre of the Indira Gandhi National Open University from its January 2017 session. The Study Centre is functioning at the Bishop Heber College in the city.
The courses, include post-graduate diplomas in Social Work among Tribals, Women’s and Gender Studies, Adults Education, Analytical Chemistry, Teaching and Research Management, a Master of Arts programme in Extension and Development Studies, and a certificate programme in Social Work in Criminal Justice System.
Disclosing this to media persons here on Friday, G. Anbazhagan, and D. M. Bheema Rao, Assistant Regional Directors, IGNOU Regional Centre, Madurai, said counselling and classes for the programmes would be held at the Study Centre. The centre in Tiruchi had the highest average students enrolment next only to Coimbatore in the region.
Various programmes are already being offered through the centre, which had excellent facilities such as multi-media and audio-visual equipment, well equipped library and experienced counsellors. New courses of the IGNOU are being “activated” at the study centres when counsellors are available to conduct the programmes.
Mr.Anbazhagan disclosed that the Gyan Vani, educational FM radio service, would resume by January and its studio currently at the All India Radio, Tiruchi, is likely to be shifted to the Bishop Heber College soon.
IGNOU has also introduced a Bachelor Preparatory Programme (BPP) for all those who have complete the age of 18. Once they complete the programme they can join the under graduate programmes offered by the IGNOU. The course fee has been completely waived for weavers.
The last date for submission of applications for admissions for IGNOU’s 2017 session has been extended till December 30, Godwin Prem Singh, Co-ordinator, IGNOU Study Centre, Tiruchi, said. The programme fee is fully exempted for students belonging to SC / ST categories for Bachelors degree programmes such as BA, B. Com, B. Sc., BCA, BTS and BSW, he said.
