wffiw ruffiffiffi

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

i:.:.-'r i :l

i*rL:. i?*t;

anniversary of the rvorld,s lar-eest open school system was ignor.ed by Indian ac.ademia and the public, generating minimal media interest. Thatis primar.ili because there's little public arvar.n.r., of the stellar contributions this below_
the-radar institute has made to the cause

tutored and certified 931.290 students aged 14-years-plus as class X school

of inclusive education for all. Over the pasr 21 years NIOS

has

XII) students and provided 111,220 rvith vocational education and trainins.
Currently an estimated 1.90 millio-n
students are enroled in its secondary
and senior secondary disrance learning

leavers; 641,000 senior secondary (class

formal K-12 education system for

reasons of dyslexia, physical or mental

of school before class VIII and for those unable to cope with the rigours of the

Vocational education and trainine is supplemented by 1,106 study cenires and open basic education programmes by 664 accredited agencies. In particular lbr the 105 million chilciren who drop out

programmes supported by 2,144 accredited institutions countrvwicle.

disabilities, NIOS offers a flexible

learning alternative through the ODL

model. Moreover NIOS is the only option fbr the country's 240 million adult illiterates to secure secondary school certification. Of the 31 1,625 learners enroled in the open basic education (equivalent to

S{lOS
'1., i

2lst birthday celebrations: festive

"':l
l (: f'

agenda

{r,i general rleeting of the 16-member cllsses III, v and vIIi of the formal s.r'""1"s a'so- I schoor sysrem) and secondary schoot jl',I:-|1i1?.lT ifl:]:: Institute of, 1.; ] ciation.followed i"-.?n-"altn,6p* open by a tecture titlei 'oo* pt""g;;r;;;, il ,621 "National percenr ''i 'r::'!'-'*1:Schooling (NIos). onNovem- j schooling: eduiation ro. tn. lili ] i;ii;;;;; -24 - ar.e of 2l years and abo'e. ber23'thislow-profileopenschool lcenturl'JeliveredbySirJohnD^ri.i, ;;a"";;#sinceitspromotionby seconor commonweartrr or r-ea'n- ] ,n#""-'r"*rnment in te8e uith the ::::":1.?.':11 "t*s I ry1s,jent I darl' schoot *'11:.11:l and vocario*l education ing. Canada; an inrernationd ;o;"r;; ffi1ilj:ri,:,::;?'qffi[,?J:JilL,ti; i 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'";;;#;; by v. Rajasekhar.an;iili ::.::?;:,:i:,,:l; -;";;l^,ed ] Ji3ji,:::J:il,: "IGNOUa ] estimated
rrr,ir'l

1ii

ri,'1.:i ,q. lllilriii'j{l

lectules attended by uJ 200 delegates 11ullt ul llreul4 media rur from of for rlrcluslve inclusive eoucatlon., -vw uuruS4LeJ educarion'. ] it;;l--::':;:..^., .--.:+: -r role ..,r ^ cr-itical NIOS has played a in 18 countries around the worl<l were However outside of the NIOS cam staged ar the rndia Habitai ";;T

A slew of high-profile workshops und I

I .90 miltion sr rderrs counrryvice- chancelior of wide. celebrated its 21st a'niversaiy. ] fbundation day recture by Krran I

fo'..'

pre-sident

NASSCoM,

;'R;i;

Karnlk.

;;;-;

;;;;J;;'Jeetins
needs

the eclucational

.dil'; i;il:l? ffi::,,.#'$ffi?i

ol dillerenrly ableJ uhildren for

21- development (HRD) ministry in iT'X:t,:1ofl1l.l:l'^._."_|-"vember ] nation;t 23' on the festive agenda: an annual capitat, ,r'it ."-i"d

i.;,,;;;;: ] .#"1;:"';Ti:T

jY":"::Ti:: 5l:;:t[: i;:i,""xi:].:;i::.Tr.xT iheI ;;;i,;;;;.;;,1,.. u...,, and continue "i.;;; i ]";;#;"it'J;i,11,",ii T;,.:"J;';

r
I
l

government resolution of September

4, F::!ffi

.,,....-.tilir.._1il

,r i,:r,::;es:{':r}rc.r::a

l,ii::i:] ,-.-

1,,1

_:r,,,1,1il

].l

tor admission

'" i:*';i re't"=ff triT.ffiHiH,*[*i#ffiil: ,:ii'* ffi##:1y"fftJ;l:,H +.-"'

iil;,ru t11iry#i;fr ft # ]?
i'to
the

':xiffilj'-iif.'J:u*""n;1:,-,,1T
i

i#tii*",ilt}flirtr*ft:rili1T

:."]i#r*.:Tmiii*;if*xi :n':u::*:t*lilll*i:ix*::
#i#Txli
r

trin: T,r+$;

untversities and 31 .000

.oun,tft-!o"l U colleges. nffi 1".t,rlls iH i'!!!.r r,;lsi{lur.ll (!t!ltr in the world with significani popularity in c"rrlrn3"r""Ji'r,
s{-,ti(}(!ii,

a. t'

national

g""i"r

Its bi-sgesr achievement ::T1_,1i"t that-it has

XIIcertification.Estabiish;;;;;ffi,.oneofthemajor.infirmitiesolthe
llternative to the mainstr.u*

lyd":F @| rttendforma]schoo1stoearn.tu,,ii@goaIofRMSA,.,saysJena.
nuilonJ
Jena: alternative learning

is J enabled more than t.s -trli* over 14 years who .";il;';

WY g- .;V

ffi

population.in the age group "i;;;;ild l,x-lg years

ty zolz. :econdary"educu,i", is to- cover 15 percent

universalisarjo' of

o;;;;r;;

""

=._ , -19\d-

1??1,11) schools in

X1."t,9.rlilg^the NIoS will

l^'1

through. the open-,lirron.. r."*;"g Twelfth plan periofi

be helpecl by

states to

o..nt"ptirlr'in.

;;;;

system

formal secondaiy

r.lr""il"g ,"*r","

lili::?l:;Jilff?i;t;.'u.'"";'l;il

fr"''ng

equirr

in,r,.."'.i.^i'oi

Learning'rode1speci1i.Jfi:.tJ;iiii i g:ll'l's with 210 -iliiJn 'i"o""r,t.i" ;x[ iiJff;"i;'*1T.:fff.*:iT# l;:i:?:l#Jii!ll;ilibir',''t..i i er erv I poo v",ir' and youth riom dlsadvan'J.:':::1i:n I "e.ffii ilil}:i'*,fl?S.T;::l;'""a J."'p' i ;::J..iiil"';:;:,X1;;'r^r,,:,',/,::':,

;'flff#li:l-"';L""",t;:',"""uin

Ll::'^!T';'irull?#:'.;;ili:i ;,'J;'lilt:l,ili;lllJ*;;"i[:*il;I India' i +ii'-irri"" j.i'*iuio"

:;,lqd;;?;
I
choose
1 1

I ll?,f^o?:::ondarv.(crasses rX-X)

*o 1 3?,'1il;n',iUT
eao

fm,',:"';fri
srudv

i"

ih;';;

p."i"...a subje-s ror

il:;;;.

q'"s;;;;;i""inn:tr?ir"lr'fj';i1"" of :1:,1:1*"",. -preparing youir, ir lormal c'oliege deg'eei

:*il,ii;f :1i:'"1,*""y'fi:
liifl,l
the,workplace-* says^sitansu

:;ji;;i;:

enror in fbrmai -;r;;;.:ff:.ffi:'J i i:i.::: :r:,^:::;l:::,.r'; ?i;i;i,!';i;": i'."il';i;;;i*'or, which traces iti y""":::;1 ;iT##XTifXT.'.T"Ti: i U:,""t"-1;";;;;;;: i^id,i';';':":,{'i I ffiii';"fr"nil,:i;,,Xli,'l.ii,1;""i,:.; ollly +o lir!11-J..i.iniriu,"a by the cBSE in system to dirferently rbred abled L,.,."",t^'j,tjl:i:'^iYlj:"tly '?llllne #J;'#"':.Jj,fr:renttr I percenr or rn,iiu;,'.i,;if i":il:';: ] i;;;:i:Ji;:'ii:::ijjt"l!:;:;t"t:1
ro.

i ;,ffi,l,iolJi',..'",res rn th. ,i-,., ^c i lil:33 T;3|JJ,:"i?S":";#l;sll,,*

*6;1"'::::iill]:lili#l$

pervasive rear or the

i 5iili,,l,i,i?,,iT,lU6:;:J'.'""1,u :*,"."":,#i".1'Jlgj"**i':j:*,1: i i :0iz

tt'e

secondary;.;""i;r;. wir I secondary'schoor

i*ul'-:"-t S Jena, ch_airmin

S,1"?g?

*tl;ll.r,siUti*iilrg j, ', i ", d*irs i ry1i,":iru,* d .,#ii"li$i?;ffi-:, il;;;;;;;; i i;^|l.lt,ll: , ;t'r:i ci:r:tin** i fr.n:l"gy, ;;;'";; *" ffi|"-* - rl{i*iil r*r;;;;;h ;l:1" .-!i:ie, Ui*Uri..
"r,Sociar U"1*a1o1e,J-ena

wirh I .r xros._a" i

,;1"

l*; ": ., r:,.,r .-: * -rr,i*;.l t;;.;#;":.,__.::::::,

,_-

fi'e from 27 iut.;".it i,1::se. (inctLr<iing,urthr.

,o._.iu,

(crass Xrr) erams. For instance teenagers l,u,ririn-e rhe class X e\am Jre gi, e'r Lh. I,lr;i"l;",;;

..i]"i.. i;:,,:H

an additionar rr .""1""tt*,it].1*:.1ojttt't"ittt ffi#'ffi:#'i.liq.:"4ii$:lll,ll I government t:,'""#'Ji"1"."'-i;,?. has co-opted NIoS I i,l,!"#l,i:;i:.","":ki.A*:.*j: ffi,""Xtl as "" i ;;;;;T."'ili.'ift'',''t '#trtj[*::

rwo appoinred 1l{gl. *ilT:l;:Tto,l'"*]t*rlastvear'

Jecades

if.l,l1.9:1., University 9jl,11i_\"tionat (IGNoU) for over

open

i ; . :.....-. i ....;,:r*r,,;i i
-.-.=. -....-...,.,,

being

'; .i

Sanskrit. Alabic, "1"1. required to obrain

3o- 1Z liirctuaing Hf ,rif . Ben-eaii, Mu'atni r"ire"'ilr..i,

] 'eed to accommodate

:Sl;;;;;;; " ".rliri'"r,r, lj

ot

i.urt

;'; #';;d T;.; :; ffi ::ll ;lu*;;*:l ;* H :t1i :t* il ;5'.i: i lire Even cottntries such a.s gor.,n*.nl r*r.";.;':;.;: ro bc n*arded NIos. rrislrer ir::,|;lttt" 'to and Ba'gladesh I ,econcla.l ,iool-l"uvin!, to universaiis. uniu!.rali..;;;":t:; u.."', tn ,na and i,"f,o"; imnro.,oi ,.", ...,-1^(l?percent) cerril,ii,to ,;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

li:i#.r,:il'#:::4,{i{1fr'J,i#1 i: :,""i.H,i1,ffi 8i ;,?il'# : ti central

#it':i.tl'Fft1ft'l'ilffi;ffiil

itilJff#;:H:i i:lff'j"'.i:,t:

,Xlti:'::1"*i::"="1T",'i*1"*.:

] onl iiifl,Xt+;;?::::lKJi:il::::::$i language are con,puJsory I :n" I

i ltf

""i::'.:':i",f;r;il,1,'lil'l'',,,

] that mandat.

.*u.,

to be hetct twi.e
201 0

EducationWorld, December

NIOS snapshot profile

bills irself
HE NOIDA.BASED NA1IONAL INSTITUTE OF OPEN SCFIOOLING

| .t ri : Students above 14 years are elisible for admission into the secondary eiucation. op-en basic secondary education, vocational education and training, life enrichment and life skills programmes through 2,14? education and VET programmes while for.entiy into the senior secondary courses the minimum age requirement accredited institutions and 1,138 accredited vocational institutes to 1.90 million students in is I5 years. Hor,i er et' there i\ no India and four countries wor1dwide. ..:i-ii.ili'r :..]i,:n:t t," L=. r:r: ,rtr;;::::j$;;l:r!:;.::l;:..; upper age limit for admission into A snapshor prolile: **"l r ..l.iii,tfili:r.iilii:igfr., any NIOS programme. For VET programmes, admission ri Secondary school (class X). NIOS offers its 1.90 million sludenis postal and broadcast tuition _ dary programmes it's between July in 27 subjects (17 of which are and September. From 2010 the language-s) ln eight languages (Hindi, facility of online admission is Englirh. Urdu. Cujarati. Mararhi. 1 available on the institute's rvebsite. Telegu. Malal alarn. and Oriya r

as the world,s largest open/distance education school offering secondary and senior

IT related sectors. These diplomaicer.tifiJate courses are of six months-two years duration.

technology, home science, teacher training, computer and

: i:::::j*:li,tjffil::';J:i:
I,ii

Seninr secondary (class XII). NIOS offers 21 subjects in three languages (Hindi. English and Urdu).

#
::J

-$

*$:

open distance learning tnotlel combines postal tuirion pr.inr

packages. rnultimedia learning contact programmes, and practical work

certification. No subjects expect languages are compulsory. Open Basic Education programme. This programme is equivalent to elementary education of the ibrmal school system and is available to late learners above 14 years. It is offered at three levels Level A (equivalent to class I-[I), Level B (class IV-V)-and Levei C (ciass V-VIII).

five subjects of their choice with at least one language or at most two languages, to qualify for classes X anO Xtt NIOS

pass NloS caripus, marks (33 percent) in a minimum of

are requir-ed to obtain

Stldelts

material, personal

Vocational Education Programmes. More than

g6

sessions in affiliated study centres augmented by audiovldeo programmes aired on the Union government-owned Doordarshan and Gyan Darshan television channels. : I r', NIOS conducts exams twice a year, in April-May and October-November in 900 affiliated exam centres across India. Students have five years from the date of registration to complete their programme. Alter c.ompletion of five years, if students have not cornpleted the course, they are eligible for re-admission.

vocational education and training (VET) cour.ses are offered in subjects such as agriculture, business, commerce. and

:I

range between Rs.600-14,000

For further information visit www.nios.ac.in

- have nine chances to cleat - the students class X/XI exarns during a liberal fiveyear period.

year

in

Aplil

and Octobcr-

anci

NIOS' country

se

condarv and

senior
the

alfiliated study ccntres across

sccondary exams are written at its 2.lztrl

ination boards. Thesc affiliates

miiinstreant seconclary schools atfi liated with CBSE. CISCE and/or srare examalscr

a rnajor-ity of

thcm

provicle other sen,ices to NIOS students including counseling about courses and

institute with some also offerins supplernentary classr.oom learning aii

and advice. NIOS' hybr-id open distance

subjccts offered, enrolment with the

print packages, multimedia learning rriaterial. sLrpplementary classroon-r

pro-grammes! and practical work sessions in affiliated study centr.es aLrgmcnted by

learning model contbines postal tuition

auclio-r,ideo programmes aired on the Union government-owned Doordar.shan

trained six teachers to specially atldress r,rorldwide. the transaction oiteaching lhe nce(ls ol NIOS 5lildeilt\. Mor.eorcr und lerr.ning revolr c: rroLr rrd tlre ior uhilLlrcrr u irh \e\ cre learrrirrg lcarner'. uho ir expected to r,c nrot,raretl disabilities we ofl'er a ple-NIOS progr:- and disciplinecl. ,nt']1.: ly plc.purc rhcnr tor clrsr X Mumbri_brsecl Veer. \lLrlr.rj. u ho celtil-iciltion. We try to oller rll :upnort dr.oppcd out of .clr,,,,r in ..1a.. Vlll to and advice to enabie stLrdents registerecl put.r,e a passion for music and signecl with us to_srrccessfully compleie their up with the NIoS boar-cl to complerc class X NIos boerd exam," says Larry I ciass X ancl Xll. confir.ms the vital Perc'a. \uper\ isor of the NIos importance of disciprined ser1,-study fbr

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 countryis onc ol rhc 2.144 Nlos lil iliared srLrdi u ide rle rnonitorecl b1 I I re gionll c\'nlrc\ ("rucredited in:titrrtiorrs") centres for clleetive implentcntation of rcros\ 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 thc lor NTos' see ondary (class X) progr'- acaclemic and adrninistrative sr-lpport anrl1re. "str.rdcnts heve the option of provided by accredited stuc,ly centres registering online tlirectly with NIoS or such as Don Bosco High School to its uirh nn rLccredited institution. In our students is likely to be"limited, as the sclrool u c havc a dedicated NIoS first duty and commitment of accr.edited cenrre 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 svsrems
rrrtd

d1s131_ce

year B.Com srudenr Mumbai.

rnem \ lth well_trained counselors and teachers." sa1 s Mulraj. cuffentl\ a firsr

of NIOS is that it enable-s.;.t";;;E; student to study at her own pace and cnoose subjects of her inreresi. Bur all sludenls especially tirrt g"n.ruiion - don't rearners _ have supportive home environments. Therefore NiOS n..0. io strengthen its study centres and staff

learners. ,,The great advantase

of HR College.

neretore unsurprisingly. an estimated country\ ide are affiliated with the NIOS boarcl
I

and examinations oprion foruir'.r'.

esrlmated 80 percent sulfering learning disabilities. Given the intemal curricular :igid^itl of national and srate b;;;; NIOS is an attractive alternative studv

3Tglg rhe prime rarger groups-oi rhe NIOS board are difle'rently abled ta[a challenged r children. f f.r"rrr"r" "ii" j 0..miilion physicatry an :r]liil.d .l me.ntally, challenged children with an

School dropouts such as Mulraj apart,

for challenged children"

p-ercepfion and within academia as well, NIOS certificarion is widely u..o.a"j less weightage rhan of CBSE. CISAE and_ most state examination'Uoa.Jr.

J.UUO special schools

disabilities. The

."t .nrolr.-ni ltr ol lT5 chitdren wirh learnin; J;;l;i;;: ".H and.a,formally accredited ..ri.. ..\iqs i, bl.;;i;];; "rav F, ,. . :I,,\lgf, with learning " $' '.:,,.,..,, .r.,..::, :!i19L"l
Cenrre lor Chitdren 1SKLC. a class I-XIl school with un
.$"

C#:,,;:*,ru;$,1..:i"*i -is;;i

ffi W

Alrhough nominally on a par wirh

syltaDuses. curriculums and award secondary and higher secondarv school-leaving cerlificaLion, NIOS study,programmes delive."O ifrrorg[ tuirion packages are wideiy
vested with the power ro design ir,

natlonal and state exam boards and

o*n

have..inflexiblesyllabusesr.quiri,rn

""J'-3,h.i mainstrea,i.-"_ t"*0,

'' *l= -*-1;;11]ffi hand the rhe NTOS NIoS hne".t "il-"? board, ^rr^-- ^.-'^',1 pror. Kumar: n"*iliiity,;ffi ffi.io}-*:l;;: o"""J..,

rJ##e "".;i;;;;;;.il needs of speciai children. O, tfr.

thererore

e.xcellenr memorisation skills and

#; arE g'=, .'--, :.,,,,

..,.,,,.*; -l :,;;:::;.:r :::,..' -, {

.R*

"ont.nt

#;"r;;;;:'"'""i]"; I.: :i*.;iiT.!:,i..l;llil?,ffi 3tr.,:::"""rr*x$lf '.^;fY,il::: ,T""r,iil"";;l;.fi ffiJl;;;]#."'ji.t"".,t"", rurn opens the doors I l* r d a., ;*1I"oi+ "rli:lJ1',:1':' l,Tl rnsrrrurrons,..savs ,on :,T n ffi l:T;'l;:ie ;,1:';il;[T':i::i:: Shah. ] ilii. ili lg:ffi NioS has ,";;Jiffi], NIoS'
board throush wh;.r.
a big relief to
e uc

it's

;:l'J;i. J,'i I '6u, Ii. ?f: i il';S *i xli ;;;;. its flexib'ity ui"-,"r, nexibirity ano ,,;aJ wiaJcnoic; i :t'",: T, I "n,il:t1;"::.q::-" "i,,lul..i,. oil,ti i,il,".fiiffiT::il,rl:#;: for parenrs ol chailenged .hildr;;lr;,

Xil exam, ai pri"r," .rroiar"r. ;t;:: : j/ ilffi ,^'i:r xT :f, :,1ilT:,r;iilJ:i: pr;;, ] ;;;f exams of NioS. "only a special school i''M;;;i';"i"ll i students ::,:l:::l"uu'ns enroled with an affiliated aptrtudes :::lifi.d and capabiliry... enrolmenf of 6o nhir,-r,^- :9:] T*l:: :N d; ]J ;; ffi i ;;.
ror re-writing re_wriring thE - ;:j"Ji,:YT"..l rhe ctass cras s r"id. una

ffi:#ffi:ttj;s.tl:;1""er.exams
trr Priyq Shah.. principal of Manu

I home schooled children to write its class

i$lT"Tl;i :fl,;['j::T

r:;'

CBSE affiliated schools study academic subjecrs in depth, NIOS student, ,toOy them at the basic level. However it,'s wrong to regard NIOS students as less because rhel are of varying

as inferior io teacher_ delivered cur-ricuiums of CBSE, CiS-iE andmost state examinations in fo;;; bricks-and-mortar schools. "Certainly NIOS is easier and less stressful and evaluation is less ngorous. While students of CISCE and

11.-stal pe.rceived

I il;,l: our exams," savs N.K. Arora, I :"^l.l1l"secrerary (coordinarion) of the / *q,rll

Ryan.International School, Khargar.

raz. pnnctpal ol

says

Alici
a

rhe CISCE alliliated

Mumbai suburb.

Sensitive
accord_

clsce

children. Curiousir. rtre Dethi_bar"i

uno

popularity within rhe small bur *;,d / communitv or rndia's home.sihoolJ

cemificarion is arso, rasr

gaining .on,r'i'ir,.o signiricanrry rowards

cesE boura. aon:'r

u;tol

educa_ ;;;?;firai." ."i secondary ,'iJliliirn" .. . ,"r'ir*f

;#i,;;,r*

access to

EducationWorld, December 2010

.oTi'Ji,ionut schoots. in rhe pubtic

rcrry of reasons don.r srudy in

Na.tlonai Educarion

the guidelines and objecrirLs of rhe

great emphasis to continuous curriculum developmenr. ..Belore final_ rsl_ng the content of er e11 subjecf . the syllabuses of other ."u.inutlon Uou.J, are carefully studied bearing in

than rigorous, NIOS managers claim to

curriculum and eraminitions are le:s

to

charges that its

minJ

policy

Subsequently high-powered commit_

lgg6.

'6Quite successful
f l,|.ti,

thus larD
r

*"r;
;.,

inren'ie wed i 3::.

. r,oi,.,iun,;

l;;.1;:,

:-,,.

iiiil;: i ;,-i:?:,:,::i *,:r,r:*i::;c

1 ;.:.., r,i.:i

I
Aparl l)orn

venlronal \) \len) - .r -J ' ,,ru 'arron beyond rhe e r,.. "^11 ll,\":

ffi ffi 'w re

:rumr,

ffi:i"',T?x,;sj ii:iTi.:xi:itit,Y::i:;"ingiti l:'.'"'J:l;J,,y'nn' 'i;;'it::;iil i,."{"';;";i;l';: ll.oi-lr,.,, i11,ru{e ,na ;n,.;.,ldlli o;"]".i.';;;:,''.",Tfi11'll,,i:};?:

;;i:;

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?l

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i"itr ;i *

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i:i? *,'*il$ l+mi:l;r* #r tr'* :*il;ffiiiiJi;l

r

I u"i""'uriil

rlco'abora'iion wi'lh

'1h'c

programme\ lhrouslr rrus'drrrrllc\ rhrousri ,urhro,or, ;n_" open Ihe ll:sramTe. orslance lear.nine .od" u. ;:; ] 1l1:';:.:il;l X- ; :.'..1i :^,.i.]

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:n:;l; ru:::Li jsr y#:{riit''** ---+:i ;: ; :mrx? !:i Nationarcr,ti.rri,

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.objcur i ve

or

rv

ros,

i.'ii.

iiil,['J[x;::;lt:lni;;'il;';'; ):i: ,. he arses ",;;l.lxtl*

irrca prcp{ire
tees comprising e\perrs fr.orn the rhe
,.,

onar,educarj";'";;;;;;i;;,',T,1'; i ;::::,;::;;:;:I',::;:::l';;';;: r" r,, r i uur .,ray atternpts hr ",,:;:1}::;;il1::i:i:jT". - t t''i*?t?.:-:a:j.-,.rr..!. trtj..,;t,t somewhat xios--"rn"rged i sporaclic as in B::9J,1TTtt' rrr,,"..,-"*-..-.nrn,.t"uttlle^n ir"^ir,r" ,i'1,,,,1;::; ,;I;ii;i"il .? , l, l jruio,. ;,,,. in he rb n;,r ecttcation \) tlem wirh the rrrJ.',. qren ichuurrng oL,Nrost-oir.r. larget to expand acces\'.nr,,r..qri,.: s).rerns. grrr;no grotrps' link ..tr..fio"n *''li'ult ,,i'j ,ihoorr,ocared in rhe,.,rni. ]lfnd lTy ;;;;;;.;l:.""T1!"J:lJ;il:':i# uulrLexl or i Ju'lruurs suttel' democratisins ;:il"'JJ;;il:.,'lii^1,,1::J;;;',;';; tr,i, counr wo*at'te piuric .o,o, t" ::1";i, \u,,e, on this ;,l,ou)r ,.ho;r'.'il; I ;ifi;1T:#;i]ll:: -.n,j,,.ship: for ;",,,.i i; l;i ;lill,,?'n,.. io,.o,.i, '..,iion,l i:;qi,:,,1;T.:;,::l;:;i..,:t:, ^^''. to."'.i ,.,,oJ,,'i''*"te open with rhe s1.1gp1 n:il 13'11.i'.0,.1."ion
oe\ciopn)eill and lile a"r'.f-',nin,

il

,,

i:,:illil:lU.;m,;,:[i*:

n,,':ii.rLrry"i'':]i';;'":iii:?:]:il"-l by (.B.sF n^"-. .., L; ;;;;l ;: ::l : l';':: fJ;: :: iil ; l;:i;i, .? ;1,, s^":::',,."r1 children ti, icultr and m in,],"-- ii'"rttarrcIl$ed o.,.ioprenl - 'vPrrrtrrrr Is i. concerned c6nc,e,1n.6.
rs nor

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arter which

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.rrhi^^, , 'u[jqs1 leltdem -';;ffii,'^Yot^Noida'.

dt*it tt,]tlo !?flonr:tonont't'"'

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','r.drrasemcnr as \^ ,.1
.o_

;llli'X:; JiJ; ,T,::l i/,*,-i! ;f YJJiil ;lftl,;:::[i;::!; subjee .,,.,.;lll, li,,ii,, ;;;,il;:l:i],;# :l5;J, T.l,:* or I() -" "t' vvd\ rrrore lni]n ilt1illi \y\leln- ihJ ongoing u iclc av lhe proaars .l';i,:;rTiilil eLrt-oll.ol7[ '' scores. ,n.l 'n ;''1""'l rhis o,on,r,. ,'n'1,1i 1,""s;i',s" q'".?;r'',;:' :'J'T'lT;J;:i o' i ,pp.* ).1f,'^!1.**. ri." '-,,1#:;rll:.ii::
,?i':;J::::'"'ion 'n'')u,.","Ji:):11'

aon'i"ioi in ",.'o n

t ducarion Wortd, De."mbu.li-il

na0 dlilrculr) wirh English Ianguage communicarion. we recrified rhis iacuia by conducring special English classes lbr them "

NIOS school leavers and most of them were taiented with some exceiling aca.demically. Alrhough some of ihem

cerrainly don'r discriminare againsr NIOS students. While I was princi"pal of !,9I9tu Cotlege, we admitfed s&eral

Xavier's College, Mumbai:

Joseph's College. Tiruchi and iormer principal o[ Loyola College. Chennai _ both Jesuir-run institurions as is Sl.
,,We

But 22 years on, attitudes of college managements are changing. Commen-ts Fr. Alberr -Muthumalai. secrerary of Sr.

certified students,,, says Motiwala.

of rhe.lew colleges in ihe city which doesn'r discriminate againsi NIOS

Fortunately I was admitted by the top_ ranked St. Xavier,s College, which is one

Arya: technology fix

inrroduce rndustry relevant VET programmes. St.udenrs above I5 yeari oiage wirh pnmary school qualificarions are;ligible t::-ol in NIOS' VET programmes. Our oDJectrve rs to provide skills_based educatton which will qualily rhem for emptoyment. We've also just ser up a placement division and hive finahJeJ

with indusrry to jointly

and. vocational education programmes are integrated into the Saksiar -Bharat

the programme ro 169.632 rhus far. Lvloreover the I nstilure'\ equivalency

age group are offered by 664 u..r.dit"d agencles across the country. Last year it certified 30,547 students, bringing the total number of students certifie-d rirder

formal school system) for the l4+ vears

Education rOBEt programme: (equiv_ alent ro classes Ill. V " and VIII oi rhe

ru:F:tr

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

::

ll

u:i,

;,j,.:

plans to make all our content avaiiable online." sa1 s Koushalya Barik. assisranr dtrector. vocational education at NIOS. if rhere is a perceprion that NIOS _Yet school-leavers are not academicallv on a par with students writing CIS"CE,

begun the process

addressed. "We..have jusr succeislully complered our Ni-On project ro lacilirar! onlrne admission of students, and have

man. this lacuna is being urgently

lessons are accessible on YouTube in addition to its e_Gyangosh websjte. an inlernet reposilory of uit it, rearnlng resources. NIOS content is not yet accessible digitally. However,according to NIOS spokes_

printed course material. While more than 95 percent of IGNOU,s content is available digirally and over 1,600 video_

based

NIOS proposes to cover 70 million learners under this scheme by 2012

{_iqslon (National Literacy Mission).

academic and vocational programmes to the e-leaming platform. [ntroduction

of adapting oui

by setting up Adult
Centres.i
countrywide

n village

Edutation

panchayars

contemporary vocational education and training is a rop prioriry wirh NIOS. We are looking ar signing up pannerships
EducationWorld, December
20 I 0

with pracLical training in l:!,fue.,t centres. aihliated "Delivery of industry oriented and

currently 61,811 learners are enroled in its.various VET programmes which are dettv.ered rhrough rhe h1 brid disrance tearnrng model combining posral ruition

study cenrres. Since 2000,7g.645 ICB.SE and orher board exams, ir.s learners have been certified and l{:p: because rhe instirure.s manage_ menr has been tardy in urilising nEw
ln

Therefore vocational education anJ training rVETr is also a lbcus area lor the institute. NIOS cur"rently offers g6 VET courses through l. l0'6 accred_ired

dropours and in-school children.

Likewise rhe NIOS management is aware of the need to upskill school

Unlike the Delhi_based IGNOU its counterpart in the higher- education space and the world's largest open university has been - NIOS slow to embrace new lCTs to supplement its printed course material

education. Unlike the Delhi_baseJ

fgNOU
promolion has morphed into the world.s largest disrance education university

logies which have revolutionised K-12

lormation communication t"ihno_

counrerpart in the frilher - irs education space which since

irs

- ICTs to supplement its embrace new

students

with an enrolment of 2.g9 million

NIOS has been slow to

way video conferencingi

need for NIOS to embrace new ICTs-and internet technologies faciiitating video_ based lectures webcast on the Internet and/or beamed through satellite; two_

personal confact programmes is rnsulflcienl learning .to improve outcomes. Therefore there,s o.g.nI

rnstruction through traditional postal study materials and the occaJional

(cl CBSE X: 89.28 percent and cliss XII: 79.87 percent), it's obvious that
class

awarded certification last year

in Noida. Ci_u.! that only 34.62 percenr of . the 196.882 students who wrote NIOS' class X, and 35.99 percent of 199,682 class XII studenrs were

!ir99t9r (media) at NIOS headquarters

cards," says Dr. R.K. Arya, deputy

conferencing, webcasting o-ur video programmes on our website" and a 24x7 television channel is also on the

two-way interaction through video

of a fully-fledged e-learning platform,

and

interactive multi-media
Greater con\ ergence

CD-ROMs.

:,

:.-::i:=:ii!

convenlional sc[ooling .yr,",", ii required to improve Jto-Oent learning oulcomes and pass percenlages.

"rin."orjii"J urro
couRSE

*ffi i
,fi

(Nros

ry*
".

___w+@ffi1
" \\

Nrusr ENSURE rHAr r.rs

and writren.by proven

material and lessons are rigorous

. . *dfl 1,, ;;: study. NIOS accredited study centres ll,f:p{ ,p ..if_
t#:r,-.

experts capable of erplaining concepts clearly since students hav-e to

."rU.j..r

ofpoIiticalscienceatDe1hiUniversity.educationwithvocationa1training,
senelgl _!o 1.19:"^'",llg ltre meetingofNIoSonFebruary15'Unionconiention.allearning'i't.-."j

supptimentary trr,rr.,i",. -,r--\ ,/ "ro'J"lli"?lrr5r)rgqulIeu.-FormalScnoolSS1gn1ng/.-\-@ffiffii+=:..::::: ing is required. Formal schools /' signing NloS students at accredited institution: unexceptionabre objectives ll":jJ"lo,j,::::f.1,:.t,should-pla! a larger role," advises
S.C. Jha, protessor

socio-economicatt/ airuournl"g"J backgrounds, some hand-holdi"ng,

.-* g 'F

't#ffi=,.=

,.i

rjth

dy

[PT]y""lKapilSiba1acknow1edgeJp.o-o..NloSchaptersina1lstates jll.::::'::T:.,1l:''I'*-isrequ#edbrti'..oont,y.Thereforer"',."pi'"'
9i:l"i."secondaryand-highersecon.curriculum,integrationofICi;;; darylearners...Consideringthefastonlinetec,hno1Jgiest"i.'p.""" paceatwhichthecountryiimovinglearningoutcomeiandintroducing forward,NIoSshou1dbeiegardednoiindustr"y."i.uun.VETandadutr

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

high'qualityde1iverymaterialswhicfiwitrlir'"gJi,".n-.nt'ssecondary
aggregated only Rs.g6 crore (in fiscal aci'demic .;J t."f.;;;;;ri';;il: I tgln cationsto teacheri. Nros i' poilJio,. ::1"::::i::t:j:li:fi'ltis TqlagainJt ir. "";;;i;;;ffi;i ] greut and improve its nationa.l u.."ptun... i j orns.ro'o a reap forward in the next decade l?;;;;il;;;;'i;t";.;ri; NloShastoactivelyreachouttothe15 dependentontheRs.l5.."r"ui;il" ] *e intend ro make rhi; l;;;;i ]uno million learners who are out of school," formation

empoweringa1ternativebyproducingintendtob".o-"active1yinvolved

aSapooralternativebutasaneffectiveeducationprogrammeS.Moreoverwe

l:"^1]:l"continuously.eva1uatedbyeducatiorir"'"ii-lt"r";;";;i+ an outside,agency. It should also evolve vET students: empowering atternative initiative, anO in imitem.niirgih. to attract Risht ro.Education Act bt p;;;id;; l"t":i1"?",:'::fl..T::n,ll.' regular schools
to embrace ,hg..opgn credibiiity

seconoirr L r'"rp ,r'#.*,-. I educaiion. ,_ano rrigher il;"d:il ] complete i"r.1q"J,.*nauiy ""i with the institute #;il] ] hlt to_achieve "ou.utioo. iilnJiu crore was spent on marketin8. i crossed the 21 years its iong cherished goal trr..r6oiJ promoting and buildins the NIOS u.anl. I come ""8 I * quality educarion for atI, NIos has of age, the Moreover as is the case with ;;i I Nlds;u-prs mood ";;h. ;.; "Jll I j to f."oio" a househotd name and in government-controiled institutions. 1 optimism.-"We Noida i, "r"",]ri'rll j national success. are .onr.lour-ofi[" I t|..d,",,i"",r,.iJI *," a,.u, r.,r.r,,,,u (Derhi) & Hemaratha Its ii:'i;;t_"j"T*'n:i:ir"::"lr'i-o^': income from students' f""r I I l:"1i,1.^.:'": ;i;;diversifiedtarsersroups:ffi ] I ;:SfJlili;l#,j;

f:iii'"fj""j:*jlip"*,:!l:,g:1*T.'.. For instance in 2009-10, a patietic Rs.1

] ___Certainly the aims ""J"0;"l,ir.r'Jr Nros ureunexceptionableand,hir]];l ] h-ltn potential jlii. profile rrlldllull UUatU jl t15 I:"":,::,, 9p.." II r'"" - institut"le"amin;,1";;;il Icarnlng lnstltutron dominated by I well-positioned to provide rill;;;ot government bureaucrats and academics childien who drop has done little to pubiicise itself or boost I "", "i i'tr.^iii-ii r.r,oot .y*.rn an opporrunity ,o .ir'jfj I

and credibiliiy of its certification is overdue' Twenty on.

g.un, it receives from the iilt"; ] happen sooner than later,,, said.sibalspeakingontheoccasion. 1 lruvrs.Jena.iiiuir.unofNIoS. Sibal's advice to NIoS to initiare un ]Eou..nr"nt.Andgivenil;;;;;'.;i lin.og. rhere's iri.oif ;;;;.#?; nor ttre 105 miltion chitdren who drop I out image makeover exercise ro improve tne ] finaniial or ;.h;;i.rery year, r0 million ;;,"il,rr"u' I ] acceptability

";;;;;;;.;i;:

-; certification, it's viial ] ionat eduiation trrut Nios' strengthened and I

.ttutl.nged children eicluded f.;;lh; I mainstriam eJucation sysrem and,240 i j mi[ion adult illiterates dlnied u...r, to I secondary school and formal vocal-

EducationWorld, December

20 I0