community college
AKASHDEEP
Empowering Air Force Personnel through Knowledge IGNOU has entered into a collaboration venture with Indian Air Force and signed MoU to enable airmen to achieve graduate status in service within 8-13 years of their service
By Professor V N Rajasekharan Pillai
I
GNOU has entered the defence personnel education sector with the Indian Air Force (IAF) and is entering into collaboration recently for certification of the knowledge, skills and in-service training for Indian Air Force personnel. This scheme named as Akashdeep has the potential to transform post-retirement life of airmen by equipping them with formal civil qualification from a national university and preparing them for competitive job avenues, particularly in the area of vocational education and skill development.
Akashdeep collaboration between IAF and IGNOU Structured around the modular educa-
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tion, skill development and knowledge advancement programmes of IGNOU, the existing Airmen Training Institutes have been registered as Community College Centres of IGNOU which maintains a high degree of flexibility and autonomy. This will enable all serving airmen to obtain a bachelors degree through a stepwise education and examination at certificate, diploma, advance diploma and associate degree levels which will be in the areas like arts, science, commerce, business administration, hotel management, hospitality services, paramedical sciences, office management, automobile trade, and performing arts. The academic expertise of the IGNOU in the 21 schools of studies,
and over 60 regional centres across the country along with the vast and the state-of-the-art training infrastructure of the Indian Air Force will provide the necessary logistical support for the education, training and examination of the airmen at various levels.
Constitutional Background The IGNOU Act and Statutes that are mentioned under the First Schedule (Section-4) states that “the University shall (a) strengthen and diversify the degree, certificate and diploma courses related to the needs of employment and necessary for building the economy of the country on the basis of its natu-