IGNOU to set three more institutes of excellence in NE

Shillong, Aug 28 (UNI) Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has decided to set up three more new institutes, including a regional research centre, in Northeast region to enhance access to education for distant populations.

The proposed institutes are-- National Institute of Vocational Education and Training (NIVET), Institute of Professional Competency and Advancement of Teaching (IPCAT) and North East Centre for Research and Development (NECRD).

The Union Ministry of Human Resource Development had agreed to IGNOU's proposal to open the new institutes to meet the region's educational needs.

At present, the IGNOU is in the process of finalising the locations for these institutes.

The Northeast Centre for Research and Development, a proposed think-tank for the region, will be based in Guwahati, while the NIVET will be set up in Shillong.

The other institute, the IPCAT, is most likely to be based in either Jorhat or Tezpur in Assam that can be easily connected with other states.

''These institutes are being set up to address the specific needs of the region and to bridge the education and knowledge gap between India's mainland and the geographically challenged northeastern region,'' IGNOU Pro-Vice Chancellor in-charge of the northeast region Prof Omprakash Mishra told UNI here.

Prof Mishra however said, the introduction of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has overcome this physical barrier through internet and satellite based teaching-learning systems anytime and anywhere.

''But the issues of untrained teachers and unemployable youths in the region still need to be addressed seriously,'' he observed.

IGNOU, one of the world's largest open and distant learning institutes, is working with over 80 colleges and various educational institutes of the region, and more areas would be brought under the IGNOU online learning and teaching systems.

The Northeastern Council (NEC) has enlisted the support of IGNOU in capacity building of various educational and teaching training institutes of the region.