[Assam] NE to get 3 more IGNOU institutes (The Assam Tribune, 25.02.2008)

[Buljit Buragohain]

NE to get 3 more IGNOU institutes
  
 NEW DELHI, Feb 24 – Higher education and research on developmental issues in the north-eastern region of the country are set to get a boost with the IGNOU deciding to start three institutes exclusively for the eight States. The Indira Gandhi National Open University will set up a National Institute for Vocational Education and Training (NIVET), a North-east Centre for Research and Development (NCRD) and an Institute for Professional Competency Advancement of Teachers (IPCAT).

“The eight States in the region will immensely benefit from the three institutes that will come up very soon. Besides imparting education and training, research and development of the region would be a focus area,” IGNOU’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof Omprakash Mishra told PTI.

The NIVET will identify and develop need-based relevant vocational programmes in the region. It will facilitate trained youths in getting employment at local level and create market linkage to them. The institute will also conduct basic surveys on the prospects of vocational programmes. It will only operate within the eight northeast states, he said.

The university will start NCRD at Guwahati which will act as a development think tank for the entire region.

It will undertake and promote research and development activities in the region. It will collaborate with government’s policy, education and development centres, NGOs, other research organisations and universities.

The NCRD will also create and maintain a database and a library, Mishra said.

The thrust areas of NCRD will be providing training and assistance to the social scientists in conducting research in multi-disciplinary subjects.

It will also award fellowships to scholars and institutes for research activities. The NCRD will encourage research and academic institutes to contribute to academic and outreach activities of the university, Mishra said.

IGNOU will start IPCAT which will concentrate on teachers’ training. This institute has a lot of relevance for the region where more than 50 per cent teachers are untrained.

The seventh all India education survey has revealed that of the total of 3.48 lakh teachers in the region, about 1.96 lakh are untrained. This institute will identify the target groups involved in imparting education, developing and designing curricula and course content. It will also be involved in research programmes in the area of curricula development, Mishra said.

The Board of Management of the university has already given the go ahead for the three projects, he said.
  
 (The Assam Tribune,25.02.2008)




       
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