SRINAGAR: The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has commenced the admission process for its various academic programs for the July 2024 cycle from May 15, 2024, announced Dr. A.H. Rizvi, Regional Director of IGNOU Regional Centre Srinagar. Currently, the Term End Examination for June 2024 is being conducted across 35 examination centers in the Kashmir Division and UT of Ladakh, accommodating nearly 183,000 sittings. Responding to student demand, an additional examination center has been established at GDC Gurez for local students.
IGNOU has introduced a four-year undergraduate program (FYUP) aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and received UGC and AICTE approval for four new MBA programs: MBA Human Resource Management, MBA Marketing Management, MBA Finance Management, and MBA Operations Management. Additionally, IGNOU continues to offer MBA in Banking and Finance, MBA (General) in Open and Distance Learning (ODL) mode, and MBA (General) in online mode without the need for entrance exams. The revised Masters of Computer Applications (MCA) program, now of two years duration, also does not require an entrance test for admission.
The IGNOU Regional Centre Srinagar operates through 46 Learner Support Centres across Kashmir, including 33 Regular Study Centres, 12 Programme Study Centres, and 1 Special Study Centre. The centre plans to expand its reach by establishing additional LSCs at sub-division and block levels. Proposals are underway to extend IGNOU’s reach to newer areas like IUST and SKUAST-K for Science and Agriculture programs.
IGNOU Regional Centre Srinagar also serves as a Nodal Regional Centre for online counselling for programs like the Diploma in Urdu Language, BA in Applied Urdu, and Master of Arts in Urdu. The centre has set up a Swayam Prabha studio providing channel-based counselling in Urdu for UG programs on channel no. 13, delivering 249 sessions to date.
The e-VidyaBharti Project under the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), GOI, offers tele-education services, with IGNOU as a participant. Regional Centre Srinagar is part of this project, offering programs like the Certificate in Food and Nutrition and Diploma in Early Child Care and Education to students from 19 African countries.
Under the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA), the centre has adopted the village Leharwalpora in Bandipora District, organizing programs to improve local livelihoods. The SATHEE initiative in collaboration with IIT Kanpur offers free learning resources for competitive exams like JEE and NEET. The Regional Centre Srinagar will establish a Help Desk for learner grievances and plans to create an Innovation Club to foster entrepreneurship among students. A disability cell has also been established to support specially-abled learners.
IGNOU has launched several new academic programs for the July 2024 cycle, including M.Sc. programs in Chemistry, Zoology, Applied Chemistry, Physics, Biochemistry, PG Diploma in Disaster Risk Reduction & Management, Diploma in Agriculture & Cost Management, Master of Arts in Applied Urdu, Certificate in Event Management, and Awareness-Cum-Training Package for Parents of Children with Disability-Visual Impairment.
Details of the programs offered by IGNOU are available on the official website www.ignou.ac.in and the IGNOU Regional Centre Srinagar website rcsrinagar.ignou.ac.in. Students can apply for admissions through the Samarth portal ignouadmission.samartha.edu.in. The last date for fresh admissions and re-registration for the July 2024 session is June 30, 2024. For any queries, students can visit the IGNOU Regional Centre Srinagar at Saida Kadal Rainawari, call 0194-3102402, or email [email protected].

KR Desk