IGNOU to offer Associate Degree Programme

Indira Gandhi National Open University is soon going to offer an associate degree through community colleges. This is good news for those who dropped out of school or who could not continue studies due to some reason but now want to study and get regular university degree. The initiative by IGNOU will help such students to re-enter the university system. The academic council of the university has approved the programme and within five months, the university will start offering associate degree programmes to those studying in community colleges.

Community colleges are very popular in West. Those who opt out from schools to pursue work or cannot continue school education for some reason can walk into these colleges. In fact, at least 80 big universities of the world have university community colleges. These colleges offer the associate degree as their highest degree, along with diplomas, after which people enter a two-year training programme in a flexible mode. This associate degree helps them to get lateral entry into the regular university system.

India has over 100 community colleges which are generally run by charitable trusts and missionaries etc. IGNOU plans to start its own community colleges which would provide the associate degree. According to V N Rajasekharan Pillai, Vice-Chancellor, IGNOU, "The University will consider academic programmes such as associate arts, science, computer science, commerce and business administration."

Associate degrees do not offer a complete degree but approximately 40% of the content of a regular degree. The objective is to make a candidate eligible for the regular degree programme of a university. IGNOU proposes two years of study in community colleges to be considered for lateral entry to the third year of a three-year degree programme. Graduates with a two-year diploma that is approved by AICTE may also be allowed to complete the left-out courses after evaluating equivalence of the courses completed in the diploma programme.

Distance learning programmes have proved to be a great relief and career benefit for the working professionals and those who want to upgrade their qualification and skills. These programmes conducted and recognised by authorised universities are treated as equal to full time counterpart courses. You can study while working adding value to your profession without letting away with your job. Distance learning can upgrade education and up-skilling to smaller companies employees where there may not be a substantial emphasis on training.

The initiatives of IGNOU and other distance learning bodies will benefit the country's huge workforce, which is experienced but does not have a degree or certification to further enhance their career.