IGNOU VC lauds open varsities

Bhopal, Sep 22 (UNI) Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Vice-Chancellor V N Rajasekharan Pillai today felt that only open universities could play a key role in disseminating vocational and technical education in faraway regions.

''A mere 11 per cent of India's youth are receiving regular college and university education. The open universities are fulfilling -- in a fine manner -- the responsibility of educating the rest and making them vocationally capable,'' he told reporters here.

Pointing out that IGNOU's chief objective was to develop the abilities of comparatively less-educated people so that they got employment opportunities, Prof Pillai added that IGNOU was working under different schemes with organisations across the country and the Bhopal visit -- his first -- was in that connection.

An Institute of Industrial Management for Safety, Health and Environment is being set up here with IGNOU assistance. IGNOU's Regional Director K S Tiwari threw light on the Regional Office's achievements.

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