FAQ booklet for IGNOU student queries

Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has released a new booklet for applicants that contains frequently asked questions (FAQ). It is designed to clear all doubts over its admission processes and the courses offered.

Questions like: "Are the programmes which are unique to IGNOU considered valid by other universities? Can I take admission at IGNOU in spite of myself being registered with any other university?" and some more detailed personalized questions are now compiled in a booklet and an e-booklet on Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Open and Distance Learning (ODL) system of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU).

The FAQ e-book is uploaded on the University's website under the ‘Student Zone' tab at the home page.

It is observed that the learners including the prospective as well as the alumni, guardians, teachers and several other stakeholders had many misgivings regarding the norms and procedures, rules and regulations followed in the University. In this regard, this booklet is going to be a very useful compilation as it would act as a ready reference material for all the full-time and part-time functionaries of IGNOU spread over Headquarters, Regional Centres and the Study Centres.

The book is prepared under the concept and guidance of Dr. C. K. Ghosh, the then Director, National Centre for Innovations in Distance Education (NCIDE), IGNOU, who recollects his initiative of preparing a collection of queries by curious IGNOU students. "I used to find many learners, guardians, teachers and other stakeholders coming to the Students Service Centre with multiple queries related to registration, evaluation, material distribution and various other facets of learner support. We found that they were not aware of the rules, regulations and norms of the University which was the root cause of their problems," explains Dr. Ghosh.

The booklet contains questions faced by the university's functionaries spread all over the country along with the answers. "We have directly picked up questions sent by the learners facing problems...by and large maintaining the same language of the queries as sent by students."

There are ten chapters in the booklet. Chapters 1 to 8 have been categorized based on various issues like registration, evaluation, recognition, projects, practicals, assignments, etc. The chapter 9 consists of inter alia selected actual and representative case studies.

"Several academic programmes are on offer at IGNOU which do not have parallel in the conventional system and the learners have many queries regarding them. We have listed those in Chapter 9 which we have received from time to time. Chapter 10 is on ODL-Quiz which contains 60 Multiple Choice Type questions with answers which are targeted towards testing the knowledge of the reader about the ODL System of IGNOU and it also generates awareness about the same," mentions the booklet preparation team.

The answers are valid as on the date of publication of this booklet. An electronic version of this booklet is uploaded on the IGNOU website where necessary updating will be done from time to time.