Distance education is set to reach the hinterland of the state as the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Hyderabad regional centre will offer courses in Telugu medium for the benefit of students in rural areas.The bachelor preparatory program (BPP) for students who do not possess the mandatory 10+2 certificate for enrolling in an undergraduate course is one of the programmes which has been on offer since July 2011 academic session. Other popular courses which will be available to students in Telugu are certificate programme in poultry farming (CPF) and diploma in dairy technology (DDT), on offer from the current academic session in July 2011 and in January 2012 respectively. “The courses are aimed at students from rural areas who feel comfortable learning in Telugu. Judging by the response, more course material will be translated into the language and the repertoire of programmes will be increased,” said D R Sharma, deputy director of Hyderabad regional centre of the university.
Almost 70 per cent of students pursuing distance learning at IGNOU are from urban areas. By initiating programmes in local language, it aims to change the distribution. The course material for the sixmonth certificate and diploma programme in HIV and family education (CAFE and DAFE) have also been translated to the regional language and have to be ratified.
The outreach of distance learning was reflected during the 24th convocation at IGNOU Hyderabad centre on Monday when 55yearold J Pradnya received her B.Sc Nursing degree (not in Telugu medium) from deputy chief minister Damodara Raja Narasimha. The degree awardees included an ISRO scientist Varaprasad, who received his MBA in operations management.
