Let IGNOU motto be pupils' delight: Dr Pillai

New Delhi, Sep 12 (UNI) Vice Chancellor of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) V N Rajasekharan Pillai today announced that a 'Chair for Satellite Education' has been set up at IGNOU and an eminent person is likely to join soon to adorn the esteemed chair.

The Chair has been sponsored by the ISRO.

Addressing teachers, academicians and educators, at a function organised by IGNOU Teachers' Association (IGNOUTA), Dr Pillai urged them to be vigilant about Students' satisfaction from the delivery of education and training that IGNOU imparts onto them.

''Students' satisfaction at Open and Distant Learning (ODL) and quality of teaching are the hallmarks of success of an open university. Amid about 400 universities in the country for 1.10 billion people, there are hardly 10 million students pursuing higher education. The effective quality education is still to reach the majority. If it's made possible, this scene will radically change towards betterment,'' Dr Pillai said.

Speaking on a theme ''Convergence of Conventional Education with Open and Distant Learning towards a Paradigm Shift in India's Higher Education'', Dr Pillai quelled a slew of doubts about Open Universities and assured that a number of innovative projects were in the pipeline.

A novel beginning has been made in the Research and Teaching Associateships (RTAs) in this fiscal.

''I was thinking of the RTA as a part of new scientific promotion for effective science education disseminated by eminent professors.

The most challenging job was how to bring more youngsters in the teaching profession. The RTA is a step in that direction. From over 3,000 applicants, we have selected some hundred young people to join us as RTA,'' he said.

Stressing that the ODL system in the country has come out very successfully, Dr Pillai said,''It has enhanced gross enrolment ratio. Now it's time for us to examine it critically. Quality of teaching and learning processes have to be critically examined. Enhancement in enrolment will not prove to be real unless there is enhancement of quality of delivery of education.

We are looking at how quality of classroom teaching can be taken to education dissemination through multi-media, satellite, DTH technologies. We are particularly examining how more ideal can the satellite education be made in promotion of educational system.'' Dr Pillai said IGNOU has enhanced its technical capacities by means of Edusat, DTH, multi-media systems.

''Yet, sadly, 95 per cent of teachers in the country, who function in coordination with IGNOU, fail to avail themselves of these opportunities,''Dr Pillai said and urged the teaching community to make use of these facilities in ODL, DTH, Satellite Education, Internet, e-learning and e-conferencing opportunities which IGNOU provides to the country for effective quality education.

Lauding Vice Chancellor Dr Pillai's vision, a former Director during IGNOU's gestation period in 1985, Dr Rakesh Khurana, who started IGNOU's MBA programme, said, ''the IGNOU is an example of what a piece of rock can turn into to be what the world today looks up to.'' UNI AR RSA BD1750