Higher education in India had witnessed a paradigm shift in the recent past, and from the 70s and early 80s, it gradually saw a steep rise which was triggered by liberalisation privatisation, globalisation, and distance and non-formal education systems, said S.M. Ramasamy, Vice Chancellor, Gandhigram Rural Institute, a deemed university.
Delivering the 21st convocation address of Indira Gandhi National Open University’s (IGNOU) at Lakshmi Sundaram Hall here on Monday, he said that even though the process of change in higher education started much later after Independence, it gained momentum after the liberalisation process.
It was privatisation that took education to the places which were unreached. It was this paradigm shift in education, science and technology that resulted in rapid growth, especially in the fields of information technology and space technology where India has superseded many developed nations.
Growth eludes margins
Dr.Ramasamy said that India galloping faster in the sectors of biotechnology, food science and geo-spatial technologies. But the fast growth had not percolated down to reach people living in the margins, especially in rural areas.
Stating that IGNOU was rendering yeomen service by providing high tech education in all possible disciplines, he added that the knowledge-packed education imparted to the students would aid the nation’s growth.
Later in the day, he distributed degrees to students — 1,100 candidates from 17 districts falling under its Madurai regional centre received their degrees/diplomas in person.
M. Shanmugham, Regional Director, IGNOU, Madurai Regional Centre, said that IGNOU was employing latest information and communication technology tools such as satellite communication for effective dissemination of open and distance learning.
The Madurai centre has 94 learner support centres located in 17 districts of Tamil Nadu with 13 regular study centres, 9 special study centres and 33 programme study centres offering courses in engineering, health sciences and computer science, he said.
Madurai had the privilege of having maximum learner support centres in the entire country for B.Ed .programme, registering 18 per cent growth in enrolment in 2009 when compared to the previous year. The first-class pass percentage was 92.15 per cent this year and it had significantly increased when compared to last year.
Madurai Centre is one among the very few which would have its own building, the inauguration of which would be held next month, Dr. Shanmugham said.
Convocation was also held at 43 regional centres of the university simultaneously, while the main function was held at IGNOU headquarters in New Delhi which was telecast liver on Gyan Darshan channel.
S.K.Joshi, former Director of Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, delivered the convocation address at IGNOU headquarters in New Delhi and V.N.Rajasekharan Pillai, Vice Chancellor; IGNOU, presented a report.
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