An agreement to work together in offering certificate, diploma and associate degree programmes in Vocational and Skill Education through its community college has brought together Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and Madhya Pradesh Government. Prof. V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai, VC, IGNOU after signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Commissioner of Higher Education, Government of Madhya Pradesh (MP) said, “Our government has declared 2010-2020 as the 'Decade of Innovation'. We need to achieve inclusive and sustainable growth in education and skill development. New solutions in many areas are necessary to reach such targets in expedient ways. We have the largest youth population in the world. We need to explore all the possible ways and means to provide them education and employable skills”. “The community college (in MP) will identify academic programmes to be offered in the community on the basis of a need analysis of the local job requirements and opportunities and incorporate these findings into the curriculum, and if so required, shall take assistance from IGNOU in identifying the programmes. Programme delivery is the responsibility of the Community College,” said the MoU signed by the Registrar of IGNOU, Mr. U.S.Tolia. The MoU highlighted the roles and responsibilities of both the institutions and said, “All the programmes offered by the community college shall have enrolments twice a year i.e. July and January for which term end examination will be conducted twice a year i.e. in December and June. Programme wise list of registered students shall be submitted to IGNOU within 15 days of completion of admissions.”
