The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has been accorded A++ grade by NAAC. IGNOU is the first higher educational institute in the open distance learning (ODL) mode to be accredited by NAAC, IGNOU Registrar said. As per the NAAC norms, ODL Universities are assessed on the seven criteria including curricular aspects, teaching-learning and evaluation, research, innovations and extension, infrastructure and learning resources, learner support and progression, governance, leadership and management, institutional values and best practices.
The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), established in 1994, works towards periodic assessment and accreditation of institutions of higher education and also to stimulate the academic environment for promotion of quality of teaching-learning and research in higher education institutions. However, NAAC has recently formulated the criteria for assessment and accreditation of Universities offering distance education programmes.
The NAAC team visited the University during January 5 and January 7. The NAAC team had visited all the School of Studies, Operational divisions, centres/ cells/ units at the headquarter of IGNOU at New Delhi. The Regional Centers at Delhi, Lucknow and Cochin and it's learner support centres were also visited by the NAAC team.
During the visit, as per an IGNOU statement, the team had visited all the infrastructural facilities of IGNOU and interacted with the teachers, academics and non teaching staff of the University. The members of the team had virtual interactions with the regional centres, overseas study centres and alumni also.
The Registrar, in the statement said: “NAAC accreditation of the University is the outcome of the hard work, dedication and team spirit of the University fraternity. The University also extends best wishes to all it's students and alumni for this remarkable achievement. It is the result of the commitment, dedication and hard work of the IGNOU team for the last 34 years.”
As on date, IGNOU has 30 lakh students on roll and with this recognition by NAAC, ODL and online learning will play a major role in access and equity to higher education, the IGNOU statement added.
