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Open university under one roof
 Tamil
Nadu Open University (TNOU) was started with an objective to provide an
alternative, non-formal, cost-effective medium for obtaining tertiary education
to those who seek it. To provide a second chance to those who had to discontinue
their formal education for reasons of their own. To provide easy access to good
quality higher education to all and the disadvantaged, in particular, by
delivering the same at their doorsteps.
Dr M S Palanichamy,
Vice-Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Open University, said the university was also started to provide an opportunity to those
who are gainfully employed to upgrade their knowledge and skills tailored to
meet specific vocational and professional needs, whenever they wish to do so. To
design an innovative system of good quality university education that is
flexible not only with respect to entry criteria, but also with respect to what
to learn, when to learn and how to learn. To design and provide local-specific,
employment-oriented programmes.
Anybody who wants to study in
the open university system has to study in TNOU hereafter. All the universities in
Tamil Nadu have been instructed by the Government of Tamil Nadu to stop open
university format. TNOU has started enrolling students in its fold. By the end
of December, the university will start its classes.
TNOU
was established in 2002 by Act No 27 of 2002 of the Tamil Nadu Legislature, with
the objective of introducing and promoting open university and distance
education systems in the educational scenario of the state, as well as
coordinating such systems and setting the standards for such systems. It is the
10th state open university in the country.
 According to Palanichamy, the
university has received approval from the Tami Nadu Finance Department for a grant of
Rs 2 crore. The Distance Education Council (DEC) has
granted Rs 55 lakh, which is an achievement for TNOU, as no university has
got such an amount in its first year.
Also, Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU)
has recognised TNOU.
A total of 47 staff are
working at present and some more may join soon. TNOU has signed a memorandum of
understanding (MoU) with Indira Gandhi National Open University
(IGNOU) for sharing its course materials for some courses and for some other courses,
the material would be shared with University of Madras. TNOU will set up 316 information centres in the state,
of which 45 would be in Chennai.
It is expected that the
university will soon start its centres in other states and in other countries
also.
Most of the study material of
the university is in SIM (self-instruction written material) format. The study materials and
audio-video cassettes are especially prepared by experts, both faculty
and producers drawn from different universities all over the country.
Asked about the method of
monitoring the information centres, the Vice-Chancellor said a team will make
surprise visits, so the centres will be under regular check.
He added that the
university has sought the permission of the National Council of Teacher
Education (NCTE) to start a B.Ed course in TNOU. About the plans of the
university, the Vice-Chancellor said next year TNOU will start BBA, BCA, MCA,
masters degree in library sciences, B.Sc maths, M.Sc maths, MA in Tamil and
English.
It would also have certificate
courses in library sciences, mass communication and journalism and a diploma
course in journalism. Some job-oriented courses such as plumbing, technician
training, four-wheeler mechanism, lathe operation, electronic application
sciences, cable TV operation, etc. The job-oriented courses will have content in
Tamil.
According to Palanichamy, the
reason for starting job-oriented courses is that there must be some way by which
rural people can earn their daily livelihood. This course will make way for it.
The university also has plans to increase the number of study centres. The
course material will be translated into Tamil for easy reference, the
Vice-Chancellor added.
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