iti i:.:.-'r i :l : :r .; l: ; i: I e I * i * n a rn * ; n * I : li * i: t i, t-t,: i: *: :SuyytyR YnsyrrN & Swnrr Roy Re poRr

anniversary of the rvorld,s lar-eest openschool system was ignor.ed by Indianac.ademia and the public, generatingminimal media interest. Thatis primar.ilibecause there's little public arvar.n.r.,of the stellar contributions this below_the-radar institute has made to the causeof inclusive education for all.

Over the pasr 21 years NIOS hastutored and certified 931.290 studentsaged 14-years-plus as class X schoolleavers; 641,000 senior secondary (classXII) students and provided 111,220 rvithvocational education and trainins.Currently an estimated 1.90 millio-nstudents are enroled in its secondaryand senior secondary disrance learningprogrammes supported by 2,144accredited institutions countrvwicle.Vocational education and trainine issupplemented by 1,106 study ceniresand open basic education programmesby 664 accredited agencies. In particularlbr the 105 million chilciren who drop outof school before class VIII and for thoseunable to cope with the rigours of theformal K-12 education system forreasons of dyslexia, physical or mentaldisabilities, NIOS offers a flexiblelearning alternative through the ODLmodel.

Moreover NIOS is the only option fbr

darl' schoot and vocario*l education ing. Canada; an inrernationd ;o;"r;; i ffi1ilj:ri,:,::;?'qffi[,?J:JilL,ti;progl'ammes through the flexible,,n"n i on researci in open schooling i ;; ,h*;';6o' a." unable ro arten.l.iistan.e rearning-iooli'";;;#;; ] -;";;l^,ed by v. Rajasekhar.an;iili ] ::.::?;:,:i:,,:l; Ji3ji,:::J:il,:estimated I .90 miltion sr rderrs counrry- ] vice- chancelior of

"IGNOUa ;;;-; ;;;;J;;'Jeetins the eclucationalwide. celebrated its 21st a'niversaiy. I fbundation day recture by Krran Karnlk. needs ol dillerenrly ableJ uhildren forA slew of high-profile workshops und I fo'..' pre-sident NASSCoM, ;'R;i; ] .dil'; i;il:l? ffi::,,.#'$ffi?ilectules attended by 200 delegates from of media for inclusive educarion'. it;;l--::':;:..^., ^ .--.:+: -r ..,ruJ -vw uuruS4LeJ 11ullt ul llreul4 rur rlrcluslve eoucatlon.,18 countries around the worl<l were However outside of the NIOS cam

NIOS has played a cr-itical role in

23' on the festive agenda: an annual nation;t capitat, ,r'it ."-i"d "i.;;; i ]";;#;"it'J;i,11,",ii T;,.:"J;';

staged ar the rndia Habitai i.;,,;;;;: ] .#"1;:"';Ti:T ";;T jY":"::Ti:: I 5l:;:t[: i;:i,""xi:].:;i::.Tr.xT

iT'X:t,:1ofl1l.l:l'^._."_|-"vember 21- ] development (HRD) ministry in ihe ;;;i,;;;;.;;,1,.. u...,, and continue

wffiw ruffiffiffi

;:'';:i ii:* i.,ix.l*r:;l tnra!ir_i|* {it f}**!t Iei:*r:it:r,1 i*rL:. i?*t;

S{lOS 2lst birthday celebrations: festive

the country's 240 million adult illiteratesto secure secondary school certification.Of the 31 1,625 learners enroled in theopen basic education (equivalent to'1., l (: f'i r

"':l l rrr,ir'l 1ii ri,'1.:i ,q. lllilriii'j{l {r,i general rleeting of the 16-member cllsses III, v and vIIi of the formal

ifl:]:: jl',I:-|1i1?.lT 1.; ] i"-.?n-"altn,6p* s.r'""1"s a'so- I schoor sysrem) and secondary schoot''i "National Institute of, open ciation.followed by a tecture titlei 'oo* ] pt""g;;r;;;, il ,621 -24 percenr - ar.e

'r::'!'-'*1:Schooling (NIos). onNovem- j schooling: eduiation ro. tn. lili i;ii;;;;; of 2l years and abo'e.ber23'thislow-profileopenschool lcenturl'JeliveredbySirJohnD^ri.i, ] ;;a"";;#sinceitspromotionby

::::":1.?.':11 *'11:.11:l "t*s secon- I ry1s,jent

or commonweartrr or r-ea'n- I ,n#""-'r"*rnment in te8e uith the

agenda

rI

l

.,,....-.tilir.._1il l,ii::i:] ,-.- 1,,1 _:r,,,1,1il ].l tgovernment resolution of September I 4, F::!ffi ,r i,:r,::;es:{':r}rc.r::a

i#tii*",ilt}flirtr*ft:rili1T :."]i#r*.:Tmiii*;if*xi':xiffilj'-iif.'J:u*""n;1:,-,,1T . :n':u::*:t*lilll*i:ix*::iil;,ru t11iry#i;fr ft # ]? re't"=€ff trin: T,r+$; #i#Txli r i:*';i,:ii'* ffi##:1y"fftJ;l:,H +.-"'

'" triT.ffiHiH,*[*i#ffiil:

tor admission i'to the .oun,tft-!o"l U a. t' national g""i"r universalisarjo' ofuntversities and 31 .000 colleges. nffi :econdary"educu,i", ty zolz. o;;;;r;;i 1".t,rlls iH i'!!!.r r,;lsi{lur.ll (!t!ltr s{-,ti(}(!ii, ffi is to- cover 15 percent

"i;;;;ildin the world with significani WY population.in the age group l,x-lg yearspopularity in c"rrlrn3"r""Ji'r, g- .;V through. the open-,lirron.. r."*;"g::T1_,1i"t Its bi-sgesr achievement is J " " I =._ X1."t,9.rlilg^the Twelfth plan periofithat-it has enabled more than t.s -trli* , 1??1,11) NIoS will be helpecl by ;;;;lyd":F over 14 years who .";il;'; @| -19\d- schools in l^'1 states to o..nt"ptirlr'in.rttendforma]schoo1stoearn.tu,,ii@goaIofRMSA,.,saysJena.XIIcertification.Estabiish;;;;;ffi,.oneofthemajor.infirmitiesolthellternative to the mainstr.u* nuilonJ Jena: alternative learning system formal secondaiy r.lr""il"g ,"*r","

:1:,1:1*"",. of -preparing youir, ir instance teenagers l,u,ririn-e rhe class

liifl,l lormal c'oliege deg'eei wirh X e\am Jre gi, e'r Lh. I,lr;i"l;",;;i*ul'-:"-t

the,workplace-* says^sitansu I l*; ": ., r:,.,r .-: * -rr,i*;.l i,1::se. fi'e from 27 iut.;".itS Jena, ch_airmin .r xros._a" i ,;1" t;;.;#;":.,__.::::::, (inctLr<iing,urthr. ,o._.iu, ..i]"i..

*tl;ll.r,siUti*iilrg i .,#ii"li$i?;ffi-:, i ry1i,":iru,* i;:,,:Hi;^|l.lt,ll: "r,Sociar

il;;;;;;;; d ;l:1" ,_- - , j, ', i ", d*irs i fr.n:l"gy, ;;;'";; *" ffi|"-*

S,1"?g? U"1*a1o1e,J-ena r*r;;;;;h .-!i:ie, rl{i*iil ;t'r:i ci:r:tin** i 3o- 1Z liirctuaing Hf ,rif . Ui*Uri..

if.l,l1.9:1., 9jl,11i_\"tionat open ; . :.....-. i ....;,:r*r,,;i i Ben-eaii, Mu'atni r"ire"'ilr..i,University (IGNoU) for over rwo '; Sanskrit. Alabic,

"1"1. :Sl;;;;;;;

Jecades 1l{gl. being appoinred -.-.=. -....-...,.,, .i required to obrain " ".rliri'"r,r, lj*ilT:l;:Tto,l'"*]t*rlastvear'

] 'eed to accommodate an additionar rr .""1""tt*,it].1*:.1ojttt't"ittt ot i.urt

t:,'""#'Ji"1"."'-i;,?. ffi,""Xtl I ffi#'ffi:#'i.liq.:"4ii$:lll,ll I i,l,!"#l,i:;i:.","":ki.A*:.*j:government has co-opted NIoS as "" i ;;;;;T."'ili.'ift'',''t '#trtj[*:: ] iiifl,Xt+;;?::::lKJi:il::::::$i#it':i.tl'Fft1ft'l'ilffi;ffiil I ,Xlti:'::1"*i::"="1T",'i*1"*.: I

onl :n" language are con,puJsory

li:i#.r,:il'#:::4,{i{1fr'J,i#1 I itilJff#;:H:i i:lff'j"'.i:,t: I ""i::'.:':i",f;r;il,1,'lil'l'',,,i: :,""i.H,i1,ffi 8i ;,?il'# : ti i l t f :t* il ;5'.i: ;'; #';;d T;.; :; i ffi ::ll ;lu*;;*:l ;* H :t1icentral gor.,n*.nl r*r.";.;':;.;: ir::,|;lttt"

Even cottntries such a.s lire ro bc n*arded NIos. rrislrer'to uniu!.rali..;;;":t:; and imnro.,o ,.", ...,-1^(l?percent) and Ba'gladesh I ,econcla.l ,iool-l"uvin!, cerril,ii,toto universaiis. u.."', tn ,na i,"f,o"; i ,;iffih';;::i;.",:lljt1fl:'HJrHl i ii:."i*?,r':H:l;';"J',ri;::,.,,,ffi"3::1Ji;::;#iL,'"'i:1'J::1"",. i ::tmtfiffi;;i'iTil',?Ti"o.,n l nexibility is supported by provisions

lili::?l:;Jilff?i;t;.'u.'"";'l;il I ll?,f^o?:::ondarv.(crasses rX-X) *o 1 3?,'1il;n',iUT fm,',:"';frifr"''ng equirr in,r,.."'.i.^i'oi Ll::'^!T';'irull?#:'.;;ili:i ;,'J;'lilt:l,ili;lllJ*;;"i[:*il;I;'flff#li:l-"';L""",t;:',"""uin India' i +ii'-irri"" :;,lqd;;?; j.i'*iuio" I choose p."i"...a subje-s ror srudvLearning'rode1speci1i.Jfi:.tJ;iiii i g:ll'l's with 210 -iliiJn 'i"o""r,t.i" 1 eao i" ih;';; pervasive rear or the

l;:i:?:l#Jii!ll;ilibir',''t..i i ;x[ iiJff;"i;'*1T.:fff.*:iT# 1 *6;1"'::::iill]:lili#l$

and youth riom dlsadvan'J.:':::1i:n I er erv I poo v",ir' "e.ffii il:;;;. i ;,ffi,l,iolJi',..'",res rn th. ,i-,., ^cilil}:i'*,fl?S.T;::l;'""a J."'p' i ;::J..iiil"';:;:,X1;;'r^r,,:,',/,::':, i lil:33 T;3|JJ,:"i?S":";#l;sll,,*

ro. enror in fbrmai -;r;;;.:ff:.ffi:'J i i:i.::: :r:,^:::;l:::,.r'; ?i;i;i,!';i;": i'."il';i;;;i*'or, which traces itiy""":::;1 ;iT##XTifXT.'.T"Ti: i U:,""t"-1;";;;;;;: i^id,i';';':":,{'i I ffiii';"fr"nil,:i;,,Xli,'l.ii,1;""i,:.;'?llllne

system to dirferently abled L,.,."",t^'j,tjl:i:'^iYlj:"tly ollly +o ] lir!11-J..i.iniriu,"a by the cBSE in:;ji;;i;: #J;'#"':.Jj,fr:renttr

rbred I percenr or rn,iiu;,'.i,;if i":il:';: ] i;;;:i:Ji;:'ii:::ijjt"l!:;:;t"t:1:*il,ii;f :1i:'"1,*""y'fi: i 5iili,,l,i,i?,,iT,lU6:;:J'.'""1,u

i :*,"."":,#i".1'Jlgj"**i':j:*,1:q'"s;;;;;i""inn:tr?ir"lr'fj';i1"" i :0iz tt'e secondary;.;""i;r;. wir I secondary'schoor (crass Xrr) erams. For

] that mandat. .*u., to be hetct twi.e n

Jena: alternative

EducationWorld, December 201 0

NIOS snapshot profileHE NOIDA.BASED NA1IONAL INSTITUTE OF OPEN SCFIOOLINGbills irself as the world,s largest open/distanceeducation school offering secondary and senior

secondary education, vocational education and training,life enrichment and life skills programmes through 2,14?accredited institutions and 1,138 accredited vocationalinstitutes to 1.90 million students inIndia and four countries wor1dwide. ..:i-ii.ili'r

:..]i,:n:t t," L=.

A snapshor prolile:

technology, home science, teacher training, computer andIT related sectors. These diplomaicer.tifiJate courses areof six months-two years duration.

| .t ri : Students above 14 years are elisible foradmission into the secondary eiucation. op-en basiceducation and VET programmes while for.entiy into thesenior secondary courses the minimum age requirement

is I5 years. Hor,i er et' there i\ no

r:r: ,rtr;;::::j$;;l:r!:;.::l;:..;€ upper age limit for admission into**"l r ..l.iii,tfili:r.iilii:igfr., any NIOS programme.

For VET programmes, admission

. _ : i:::::j*:li,tjffil::';J:i:ri Secondary school

(class X). NIOS offers its 1.90 millionsludenis postal and broadcast tuitionin 27 subjects (17 of which arelanguage-s) ln eight languages (Hindi,Englirh. Urdu. Cujarati. Mararhi. 1

Telegu. Malal alarn. and Oriya r -$

Seninr secondary (class XII). NIOS #offers 21 subjects in three languages *$:(Hindi. English and Urdu). ::J

year - in Aplil and Octobcr-

- ancistudents have nine chances to cleat theclass X/XI exarns during a liberal five-year period.

NIOS' se condarv and seniorsccondary exams are written at its 2.lztrlalfiliated study ccntres across thecountry a rnajor-ity of thcmmiiinstreant seconclary schools atfi liatedwith CBSE. CISCE and/or srare exam-ination boards. Thesc affiliates alscrprovicle other sen,ices to NIOS studentsincluding counseling about courses andsubjccts offered, enrolment with theinstitute with some also offerinssupplernentary classr.oom learning aiiand advice. NIOS' hybr-id open distancelearning model contbines postal tuitionprint packages, multimedia learningrriaterial. sLrpplementary classroon-rpro-grammes! and practical work sessionsin affiliated study centr.es aLrgmcnted byauclio-r,ideo programmes aired on theUnion government-owned Doordar.shan

Stldelts are requir-ed to obtain pass NloS caripus,marks (33 percent) in a minimum offive subjects of their choice with at least one language orat most two languages, to qualify for classes X anO Xtt NIOScertification. No subjects expect languages are compulsory.Open Basic Education programme. This programme isequivalent to elementary education of the ibrmal schoolsystem and is available to late learners above 14 years.It is offered at three levels - Level A (equivalent to classI-[I), Level B (class IV-V) and Levei C (ciass V-VIII).Vocational Education Programmes. More than g6vocational education and training (VET) cour.ses are offeredin subjects such as agriculture, business, commerce. and

dary programmes it's between Julyand September. From 2010 thefacility of online admission isavailable on the institute's rvebsite.I,ii

open distance learning tnotlelcombines postal tuirion pr.inrpackages. rnultimedia learningmaterial, personal contactprogrammes, and practical work

Doordarshan and Gyan Darshan television channels.: I r', NIOS conducts exams twice a year,

in April-May and October-November in 900 affiliated examcentres across India. Students have five years from thedate of registration to complete their programme. Alterc.ompletion of five years, if students have not cornpletedthe course, they are eligible for re-admission.

: I range between Rs.600-14,000For further information visit www.nios.ac.in

sessions in affiliated study centres augmented by audio-vldeo programmes aired on the Union government-owned

rrrtd Cylrrdarshrrr tcler i:itrn e hanrrrl\. progrutntne at Don Bosco.The Mrrhlra:htrl \lttc brralj r11 1 - Strue turrrlll. NIOS' 2.lzl4 rrudl

ated Don Bosco High Schoot. Murnbai centres/accredlted institutions country-is onc ol rhc 2.144 Nlos lil iliared srLrdi u ide rle rnonitorecl b1 I I re gionllc\'nlrc\ ("rucredited in:titrrtiorrs") centres for clleetive implentcntation ofrcros\ lhc torrntrl . Curr.crrtll jb the inrtitute'r policie:.n,1 prrgrr,,,n.,.r.)lttLlenl\ rre tegirlercd u ith the .chool Houever NIOS rrllicirls.on..d" thrt thclor NTos' see ondary (class X) progr'- acaclemic and adrninistrative sr-lpportanrl1re. "str.rdcnts heve the option of provided by accredited stuc,ly centresregistering online tlirectly with NIoS or such as Don Bosco High School to itsuirh nn rLccredited institution. In our students is likely to be"limited, as thesclrool u c havc a dedicated NIoS first duty and commitment of accr.editedcenrre to tdr ise rntl counsel students institutions is to their.full_time students.on selection of sLrb.jects rnd ue hare Thelefore in distance learnins svsremstrained six teachers to specially atldress r,rorldwide. the transaction oiteachinglhe nce(ls ol NIOS 5lildeilt\. Mor.eorcr und lerr.ning revolr c: rroLr rrd tlreior uhilLlrcrr u irh \e\ cre learrrirrg lcarner'. uho ir expected to r,c nrot,raretldisabilities we ofl'er a ple-NIOS progr:- and disciplinecl.,nt']1.: ly plc.purc rhcnr tor clrsr X Mumbri_brsecl Veer. \lLrlr.rj. u hoceltil-iciltion. We try to oller rll :upnort dr.oppcd out of .clr,,,,r in ..1a.. Vlll toand advice to enabie stLrdents registerecl put.r,e a passion for music and signeclwith us to_srrccessfully compleie their up with the NIoS boar-cl to complercclass X NIos boerd exam," says Larry I ciass X ancl Xll. confir.ms the vitalPerc'a. \uper\ isor of the NIos importance of disciprined ser1,-study fbr

d1s131_ce learners. ,,The great advantaseof NIOS is that it enable-s.;.t";;;E;student to study at her own pace andcnoose subjects of her inreresi. Bur allsludenls

- especially tirrt g"n.ruiionrearners _ don't have supportive homeenvironments. Therefore NiOS n..0. iostrengthen its study centres and staffrnem \ lth well_trained counselors andteachers." sa1 s Mulraj. cuffentl\ a firsryear B.Com srudenr of HR College.Mumbai.

School dropouts such as Mulraj apart,3Tglg rhe prime rarger groups-oi rheNIOS board are difle'rently abled ta[achallenged r children. f "ii" f.r"rrr"r":r]liil.d .l

0..miilion physicatry an jme.ntally, challenged children with anesrlmated 80 percent sulfering learningdisabilities. Given the intemal curricular:igid^itl of national and srate b;;;;NIOS is an attractive alternative studvand examinations oprion foruir'.r'.I neretore unsurprisingly. an estimated

J.UUO special schools country\ ide areaffiliated with the NIOS boarcl

for challenged children"

C#:,,;:*,ru;$,1..:i"*i ffiCenrre lor Chitdren 1SKLC. ."t -is;;i Wa class I-XIl school with un .nrolr.-ni ltrol lT5 chitdren wirh learnin; J;;l;i;;: ".Hand.a,formally accredited

"rav ..ri.. .$"

p-ercepfion and within academia as well,NIOS certificarion is widely u..o.a"jless weightage rhan of CBSE. CISAEand_ most state examination'Uoa.Jr.Alrhough nominally on a par wirhnatlonal and state exam boards andvested with the power ro design ir, o*nsyltaDuses. curriculums and awardsecondary and higher secondarvschool-leaving cerlificaLion, NIOSstudy,programmes delive."O ifrrorg[11.-stal

tuirion packages are wideiype.rceived as inferior io teacher_delivered cur-ricuiums of CBSE, CiS-iEandmost state examinations in fo;;;bricks-and-mortar schools.

"Certainly NIOS is easier and lessstressful and evaluation is lessngorous. While students of CISCE andCBSE affiliated schools study academicsubjecrs in depth, NIOS student, ,toOythem at the basic level. However it,'swrong to regard NIOS students as less

:::lifi.d because rhel are of varyingaptrtudes and capabiliry... says Aliciraz. pnnctpal ol rhe CISCE alliliatedRyan.International School, Khargar. aMumbai suburb.

Sensitive to charges that itscurriculum and eraminitions are le:sthan rigorous, NIOS managers claim toaccord_ great emphasis to continuouscurriculum developmenr. ..Belore

final_rsl_ng the content of er e11 subjecf . thesyllabuses of other ."u.inutlon Uou.J,are carefully studied bearing in minJthe guidelines and objecrirLs of rheNa.tlonai Educarion policy lgg6.Subsequently high-powered commit_

:I,,\lgf, ..\iqs i, " bl.;;i;];; F, ,. .

:!i19L"l with learning ""J'-3,h.i $' '.:,,.,..,, .r.,..::, ,

disabilities. The mainstrea,i.-"_ t"*0, ..,.,,,.*; :,;;:::;.:r :::,..'

have..inflexiblesyllabusesr.quiri,rn { -l

-,e.xcellenr memorisation skills and arE #;thererore "".;i;;;;;;.il rJ##e g'=, .'--, :.,,,, .R*needs of speciai children. O, tfr. "il-"? -*-1;;11]ffi ''hand the NTOS hne".t ^rr^-- ^.-'^',1hand rhe NIoS board, *l=n"*iliiity,;ffi ffi.io}-*:l;;: pror. Kumar: o"""J.., "ont.ntffi:#ffi:ttj;s.tl:;1""er.exams I home schooled children to write its classror re_wriring rhe ctass - ;:j"Ji,:YT"..l / x una Xil exam, ai pri"r," .rroiar"r.ror re-writing thE cras s r"id.

trr ;t;:: : j ilffi ,^'i:r xT :f, :,1ilT:,r;iilJ:i:Priyq Shah.. principal of Manu pr;;, ] ;;;f ,a special school i''M;;;i';"i"ll i ::,:l:::l"uu'ns exams of NioS. "only

enrolmenf of 6o nhir,-r,^- :9:] T*l:: J students enroled with an affiliated

i$lT"Tl;i :fl,;['j::T r:;' :N i d; ] ;; ffi i ;;. ;:l'J;i. J,'i I Ii. ?f: i il';S

its flexib'ity ano ,,;aJ "n,il:t1;"::.q::-" i :t'",: T, *i xli ;;;;. '6u,

ui"-,"r,its nexibirity ano wiaJcnoic; "i,,lul..i,.

I oil,ti i,il,".fiiffiT::il,rl:#;:for parenrs ol chailenged .hildr;;lr;, I il;,l:it's a big relief to #;"r;;;;:'"'""i]"; I :"^l.l1l"

our exams," savs N.K. Arora,board throush wh;.r.

'.^;fY,il::: I.: / *q,rll secrerary (coordinarion) of the

3tr.,:::"""rr*x$lf ,T""r,iil"";;l;.fi :i*.;iiT.!:,i..l;llil?,ffirurn opens the doors "rli:lJ1',:1':' I l* I"oi+ ffiJl;;;]#."'ji.t"".,t"",l,Tl :,T n ffi l:T;'l;:ie r e d u c a., ;*1 ili lg:ffi ;,1:';il;[T':i::i::,on rnsrrrurrons,..savs Shah. ] ilii. NioS has ,";;Jiffi],NIoS' cemificarion is arso, rasr gaining .on,r'i'ir,.o signiricanrry rowardspopularity within rhe small bur *;,d / ;#i,;;,r* access to secondary educa_communitv or rndia's home.sihoolJ

I ;;;?;firai." ."i ,'iJliliirn" .. .children. Curiousir. rtre Dethi_bar"i ,"r'ir*f rcrry of reasons don.r srudy inclsce uno cesE boura. aon:'r u;tol .oTi'Ji,ionut schoots. in rhe pubticEducationWorld, December 2010

'6Quite successful thus larDf l,|.ti,

*"r; inren'ie wed i 3::. 1 ;.:.., r,i.:i

I

III

l;;.1;:, ;., :-,,. . r,oi,.,iun,; iiiil;: i ;,-i:?:,:,::i *,:r,r:*i::;c r

venlronal \) \len) - .r -J ' ,,ru

'arron beyond rhe e r,.. "^11 ll,\": Aparl l)orn u

ffi ffi:i"',T?x,;sj ii:iTi.:xi:itit,Y::i:;"ingiti l:'.'"'J:l;J,,y'nn' 'i;;'it::;iilffi i,."{"';;";i;l';: ll.oi-lr,.,, i11,ru{e ,na ;n,.;.,ldlli o;"]".i.';;;:,''.",Tfi11'll,,i:};?:'w li.,'rur* difflffi,',tt**x *;iillill}'r'ffi{[.l're ;;i:;

:rumr, :i tr:*Ti I I ;r*: :; ;l*:T I I tr'* r i:i? *,'*il$ l+mi:l;r* #rl[:'l',]"ffi:y,:lxffi'#lxtliii oltn lm :*il;ffiiiiJi;l I u"i""'uriil rlco'abora'iion wi'lh

'1h'c

ijll ily,'*'n.r' .a'.r,i"l:T:: ?l rhe pri mar y .objcur i ve or rv ros, i.'ii.

$l$i i"itr ;i * iJigif* ; :mrx? :n:;l; ru:::Li jsr y#:{riit''** ---+:i ;: !:iprogramme\ rhro,or, ,u- Fljltl::::oltle Nationarcr,ti.rri,rrus'drrrrllc\ lhrouslr Ihe open rarnellork 2U05 ..-l:""'"

\ urrlcLllum

1l1:';:.:il;l X- ; :.'..1i : i{:lonar,educarj";'";;;;;;i;;,',T,1';

i ;::::,;::;;:;:I',::;:::l';;';;: i ",,:;:1}::;;il1::i:i:jT". r" r,,oe\ciopn)eill and lile a"r'.f-',nin, .,ray r uur atternpts hrB::9J,1TTtt' xios--"rn"rged as

- t t''i*?t?.:-:a:j.-,.rr..!. trtj..,;t,t rrr,,"..,-"*-..-.- i sporaclic in nrn,.t"uttlle^n somewhat

ir"^ir,r" ,i'1,,,,1;::; ,;I;ii;i"il .? il , l, l jruio,. ;,,,. in he rb n;,r ,, i:,:illil:lU.;m,;,:[i*:ecttcation \) tlem wirh the rrrJ.',. qren ichuurrng s).rerns. grrr;no ]lfnd oL,Nrost-oir.r.to expand acces\'.nr,,r..qri,.: ,,i'j ,ihoorr,ocared in rhe,.,rni. lTy ..tr..fio"n *''li'ult larget grotrps' link

;:il"'JJ;;il:.,'lii^1,,1::J;;;',;';; ::1";i, \u,,e, on tr,i, .o,o, ;,l,ou)r ;;;;;;.;l:.""T1!"J:lJ;il:':i#democratisins ,.ho;r'.'-

uulrLexl or i Ju'lruurs suttel' on this counr t" il; I ;ifi;1T:#;i]ll:: wo*at'te piuric

^^''. ;",,,.i i; l;i ;lill,,?'n,.. i:;qi,:,,1;T.:;,::l;:;i..,:t:, io,.o,.i, -.n,j,,.ship: for '..,iion,l

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n:il ]li to."'.i ,.,,oJ,,'i''*"te open with rhe

):i: ,. he arses ",;;l.lxtl* i:i{*dil}ililt';jil;ilil ;rut'::inf:iiilllT,}'3',;:rs nor grioeo by (.B.sF n^"-. .., .:t." n,,':ii.rLrry"i'':]i';;'":iii:?:]:il"-l;: ::l : l';':: fJ;: :: * n,l ti, i: iil ; l;:i;i, .? ;1,, s^":::',,."r1

L; ;;;;lo.,.ioprenl i. c6nc,e,1n.6.

icultr m in,],"-- ii'"rttarrcIl$ed children and

tees comprising e\perrs fr.orn rhe .rrhi^^, -

,

'vPrrrtrrrr Is concerned dt*it tt,]tlo !?flonr:tonont't'"'irrca prcp{ire l,.or.*ork.oln

the 'u[jqs1 leltdemarter which ,., snF.;.rl:^i

' and moauies, i -';;ffii,'^Yot^Noida'.

i mo.r,-,r r\,4r,-r-^:,;:;;lI,-",'Jf'iliI'i:*:y331ii ..);l:il:;'l': ,.;jil,"":sn ^-)lo: ;;;i;iTi;lr' ' op.'nj'edco,,ege:o.rcoine\ arrd r.irrari."J ir^-':ii".,n8 .uru .liil'J,l'::lll'f::r-par,w,.rh .r.hoor-rear

",.'o ll'l]']^yroi ."''ii*iotrrlcoine\ arrd l'irralirel- r r\qr.rrrrrg ( tssE.clscErno,,.,.J*.n.,;5;',*"n .thool-lear"r, .li'n^ ''rir,lll"ill

;llli'X:; JiJ; ,T,::l i/,*,-i! ,?i':;J::::'"'ion 'n'')u,.","Ji:):11' aon'i"ioi in n

T.l,:* or subjee .,,.,.;lll, li,,ii,, ;;;,il;:l:i],;# :l5;J, ilt1illi ;f YJJiil ;lftl,;:::[i;::!;1,""s;i',s" q'".?;r'',;:' :'J'T'lT;J;:i ).1f,'^!1.**. scores. rhis o,on,r,. ,'n'1,1i

ihJ .l';i,:;rTiilil '-,,1#:;rll:.ii::

ongoing proaars ,n.l ;''1""'l '' 'n u iclc av I() \y\leln- lhe eLrt-oll.ol7[ -" "t' vvd\ rrrore lni]n

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ll:sramTe. rhrousri ;n_" ;:;orslance lear.nine .od" u. ^,.i.] ]

jil:::]:,,,"0 r"iirl."r.'u'acrrtai rnd .,r,. "*rr o;",J, i"r"r'ol,lrt,ro"t "o coil"g". i;u.u: ','r.drrasemcnr of K ccur'icrrums oi oirr"i'.'"tat

as tn Ihe \ ^,,y, e,oi R-u;;.; fljtt,l*;iff :,H:ti::i=illhi ylix g,u U:flfil*fiil;;ifi:l;

,.1 .,"1i1,ii,...",:.,,_,1[ :H .o_ i, fl llt ducarion Wortd, De."mbu.li-il

Fortunately I was admitted by the top_ranked St. Xavier,s College, which is oneof rhe.lew colleges in ihe city whichdoesn'r discriminate againsi NIOScertified students,,, says Motiwala.

But 22 years on, attitudes of collegemanagements are changing. Commen-tsFr. Alberr -Muthumalai. secrerary of Sr.Joseph's College. Tiruchi and iormerprincipal o[ Loyola College. Chennai _both Jesuir-run institurions as is Sl.Xavier's College, Mumbai: ,,Wecerrainly don'r discriminare againsrNIOS students. While I was princi"pal of!,9I9tu Cotlege, we admitfed s&eralNIOS school leavers and most of themwere taiented with some exceilingaca.demically. Alrhough some of ihemna0 dlilrculr) wirh English Ianguagecommunicarion. we recrified rhis iacuiaby conducring special English classeslbr them "

A \(I.HER Foc( s {REr oF THE Nros

ru:F:tr :: l

"

ll u:i, ;,j,.: :Education rOBEt programme: (equiv_alent ro classes Ill. V and VIII oi rheformal school system) for the l4+ vearsage group are offered by 664 u..r.dit"dagencles across the country. Last yearit certified 30,547 students, bringing thetotal number of students certifie-d rirderthe programme ro 169.632 rhus far.Lvloreover the I nstilure'\ equivalencyand. vocational education programmesare integrated into the Saksiar -Bharat

{_iqslon (National Literacy Mission).NIOS proposes to cover 70 millionlearners under this scheme by 2012by setting up Adult EdutationCentres.i n village panchayarscountrywide

with indusrry to jointly inrroducerndustry relevant VET programmes.St.udenrs above I5 yeari oiage wirhpnmary school qualificarions are;ligiblet::-ol in NIOS' VET programmes. OuroDJectrve rs to provide skills_basededucatton which will qualily rhem foremptoyment. We've also just ser up aplacement division and hive finahJeJplans to make all our content avaiiableonline." sa1 s Koushalya Barik. assisranrdtrector. vocational education at NIOS.

_Yet if rhere is a perceprion that NIOS

school-leavers are not academicallv ona par with students writing CIS"CE,

Arya: technology fix

printed course material. While more than95 percent of IGNOU,s content isavailable digirally and over 1,600 video_based lessons are accessible onYouTube in addition to its e_Gyangoshwebsjte. an inlernet reposilory of uit it,rearnlng resources. NIOS content is notyet accessible digitally.

However,according to NIOS spokes_man. this lacuna is being urgentlyaddressed. "We..have jusr succeislullycomplered our Ni-On project ro lacilirar!onlrne admission of students, and havebegun the process of adapting ouiacademic and vocational programmes to

the e-leaming platform. [ntroductionof a fully-fledged e-learning platform,two-way interaction through videoconferencing, webcasting o-ur videoprogrammes on our website" and a

Unlike the Delhi_basedIGNOU

- its counterpart inthe higher education space and

the world's largest openuniversity

- NIOS has beenslow to embrace new lCTs tosupplement its printed course

material

Likewise rhe NIOS management isaware of the need to upskill schooldropours and in-school children.Therefore vocational education anJtraining rVETr is also a lbcus area lorthe institute. NIOS cur"rently offers g6VET courses through l. l0'6 accred_iredstudy cenrres. Since 2000,7g.645learners have been certified andcurrently 61,811 learners are enroled inits.various VET programmes which aredettv.ered rhrough rhe h1 brid disrancetearnrng model combining posral ruition

l:!,fue.,t with pracLical training inaihliated centres.

"Delivery of industry oriented andcontemporary vocational education andtraining is a rop prioriry wirh NIOS. Weare looking ar signing up pannerships

24x7 television channel is also on thecards," says Dr. R.K. Arya, deputy!ir99t9r (media) at NIOS headquartersin Noida.

. Ci_u.! that only 34.62 percenr ofthe 196.882 students who wroteNIOS' class X, and 35.99 percent of199,682 class XII studenrs were

ICB.SE and orher board exams, ir.sl{:p: because rhe instirure.s manage_

awarded certification last year (cl CBSEclass X: 89.28 percent and cliss XII:79.87 percent), it's obvious thatrnstruction through traditional postalstudy materials and the occaJionalpersonal confact programmes isrnsulflcienl .to improve learningoutcomes. Therefore there,s o.g.nIneed for NIOS to embrace new ICTs-andinternet technologies faciiitating video_based lectures webcast on the Internetand/or beamed through satellite; two_way video conferencingi and

menr has been tardy in urilising nEwln lormation communication t"ihno_logies which have revolutionised K-12education. Unlike the Delhi_baseJfgNOU

- irs counrerpart in the frilhereducation space which since irspromolion has morphed into the world.slargest disrance education universitywith an enrolment of 2.g9 millionstudents

- NIOS has been slow toembrace new ICTs to supplement its

EducationWorld, December 20 I 0

interactive multi-media CD-ROMs. :, :.-::i:=:ii!Greater con\ ergence "rin."orjii"J = *fficonvenlional sc[ooling .yr,",", ii urro irequired to improve Jto-Oent learning ___w+@ffi1 ,fioulcomes and pass percenlages. ry* " \ \( (Nros Nrusr ENSURE rHAr r.rs couRSE -material and lessons are rigorous

and writren.by proven ."rU.j..r ".experts capable of erplaining conceptsclearly since students hav-e to ..if_ t#:r,-. . . *dfl 1,, ;;:study. NIOS accredited study centres ll,f:p{ ,p

lrr5r)rgqulIeu.-FormalScnoolSS1gn1ng/.-\-@ffiffii+=:..:::::

ll":jJ"lo,j,::::f.1,:.t,should-pla! NloS students at accredited institution: unexceptionabre objectivesa larger role," advises S.C. Jha, protessorofpoIiticalscienceatDe1hiUniversity.educationwithvocationa1training,

1.19:"^'",llg ltre rjth senelgl _!o dymeetingofNIoSonFebruary15'Unionconiention.allearning'i't.-."j

[PT]y""lKapilSiba1acknow1edgeJp.o-o..NloSchaptersina1lstatesjll.::::'::T:.,1l:''I'*-isrequ#edbrti'..oont,y.Thereforer"',."pi'"'

9i:l"i."secondaryand-highersecon.curriculum,integrationofICi;;;darylearners...Consideringthefastonlinetec,hno1Jgiest"i.'p."""paceatwhichthecountryiimovinglearningoutcomeiandintroducingforward,NIoSshou1dbeiegardednoiindustr"y."i.uun.VETandadutraSapooralternativebutasaneffectiveeducationprogrammeS.Moreoverwe

|!.imnrovethe'learningoutcomesofincluds;;;i'l;;";i";;.ffiCj'S

empoweringa1ternativebyproducingintendtob".o-"active1yinvolved

socio-economicatt/ airuournl"g"J .-* i 't€#ffi€=,.= i ,.ibackgrounds, some hand-holdi"ng,supptimentary trr,rr.,i",.

"ro'J"lli"?- g ,/ -,r

ing is required. Formal schools signing 'F /' --\

high'qualityde1iverymaterialswhicfiwitrlir'"gJi,".n-.nt'ssecondaryl:"^1]:l"continuously.eva1uatedbyeducatiorir"'"ii-lt"r";;";;i+an outside,agency. It should also evolve vET students: empowering atternative initiative, anO in imitem.niirgih.l"t":i1"?",:'::fl..T::n,ll.' to attract Risht ro.Education Act bt p;;;id;;regular schools to embrace ,hg..opgn I aggregated only Rs.g6 crore (in fiscal aci'demic .;J t."f.;;;;;ri';;il:::1"::::i::t:j:li:fi'ltis credibiiity i tgln

TqlagainJt ir. "";;;i;;;ffi;i ] cationsto teacheri. Nros i' poilJio,.and improve its nationa.l u.."ptun... j orns.ro'o l?;;;;il;;;;'i;t";.;ri; ] a greut reap forward in the next decadeNloShastoactivelyreachouttothe15 i dependentontheRs.l5.."r"ui;il" ]uno *e intend ro make rhi; l;;;;-million learners who are out of school," 1 g.un, it receives from the iilt"; ] formation happen sooner than later,,,said.sibalspeakingontheoccasion.

]Eou..nr"nt.Andgivenil;;;;;'.;i lruvrs.Jena.iiiuir.unofNIoS.Sibal's advice to NIoS to initiare un ] lin.og. rhere's iri.oif ;;;;.#?; I nor ttre 105 miltion chitdren who dropimage makeover exercise ro improve tne ] finaniial ";;;;;;;.;i;: ;;,"il,rr"u' I out or ;.h;;i.rery year, r0 millionacceptability and credibiliiy of its ] ___Certainly the aims ""J"0;"l,ir.r'Jr I .ttutl.nged children eicluded f.;;lh;certification is overdue' Twenty on. ] Nros ureunexceptionableand,hir]];l i mainstriam eJucation sysrem and,240

I:"":,::,, jlii. h-ltn potential 9p.." I profile institut"le"amin;,1";;;il jl j mi[ion adult illiterates dlnied u...r, tot - I r'"" - rrlldllull UUatU 15Icarnlng lnstltutron dominated by I well-positioned to provide rill;;;ot I secondary school and formal vocal-government bureaucrats and academics I childien who drop "", "i

i'tr.^iii-ii ] ionat eduiation certification, it's viialhas done little to pubiicise itself or boost I r.r,oot .y*.rn an opporrunity ,o .ir'jfj I trrut Nios'

-; strengthened and

f:iii'"fj""j:*jlip"*,:!l:,g:1*T.'.. I seconoirr ,_ano rrigher il;"d:il ] i"r.1q"J L r'"rp ,r'#.*,-. ""iFor instance in 2009-10, a patietic Rs.1 i educaiion. with the institute #;il] ] complete ,.*nauiy

"ou.utioo. iilnJiucrore was spent on marketin8. I crossed the 21 years trr..r6oiJ

""8 I hlt to_achieve its iong cherished goalpromoting and buildins the NIOS u.anl. I come of age, the mood

";;h. ;.; "Jll I * quality educarion for atI, NIos hasMoreover as is the case with ;;i 1 Nlds;u-prs in Noida i,

"r"",]ri'rll j to f."oio" a househotd name andgovernment-controiled institutions. I optimism.-"We are .onr.lour-ofi[" j national success.

ii:'i;;t_"j"T*'n:i:ir"::"lr'i-o^': I l:"1i,1.^.:'": t|..d,",,i"",r,.iJI ] *," a,.u, r.,r.r,,,,u (Derhi) & HemarathaIts income from students' f""r I ;i;;diversifiedtarsersroups:ffi I ;:SfJlili;l#,j;EducationWorld, December 20 I0