NEW DELHI, Apr 12:
President Pranab Mukherjee today said universities in India should design programmes for lifelong learners.
“Lifelong learning is an imperative in today’s demanding world. The higher education sector must respond to this new opportunity. As learning has no terminal point, ‘career learners’ would be a new demand entity. Our universities should design programmes that assist such lifelong learners,” the President said while addressing the 26th Convocation of Indira Gandhi National Open University(IGNOU) here.
The President, who was the Chief Guest at the convocation, called for IGNOU developing an international perspective to its programmes.
“Another important phenomenon which IGNOU should address is globalisation. Globalisation has affected society in profound ways.
“IGNOU with its expanding global presence, needs to develop an
international perspective to its programmes. Global studies could be combined with interdisciplinary perspectives. IGNOU should be a vehicle for taking Indian and third world agendas to international arena with a view to influencing the global discourse,” he added.
Mr Mukherjee said the establishment of IGNOU was a huge moment in the history of Indian education.
“It has provided opportunities to a large number of people who were unable to access formal education or who wanted to diversify their academic portfolio or those who wanted to study for self-enrichment and upgradation,” the President said.
“It has taken higher education to the masses and has learners from a wide range of age groups, including teenagers and working adults,” he added.
Expressing concern over a low enrolment rate in higher education, the President said, “The demand for higher education in our country far exceeds its supply. The density of educational institutions in India has no doubt increased from 10 to 14 institutions per 1,000 sq km during the 11th Plan period. But educational institutions are still absent in many places.
“This has resulted in a low enrolment rate in higher education. Seven per cent of those in the 18-24 years age group enter higher education in India, as compared to 21 per cent in Germany and 34 per cent in the US. Increasing the reach of higher education to students, especially in remote areas, is critical to boosting the enrolment rate.”
Lauding IGNOU for popularising the ‘Open and Distance Learning’ movement in India, the President said, “IGNOU has led the popularisation of the ‘Open and Distance Learning’ movement in our country. The enrolment to such programmes in India has increased from 27 lakh in 2006-07 to 42 lakh in 2011-12.” (UNI)
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