advertorial
excellence in open schooling NIOS with international recognition provides access to sustainable and learner-centric quality school education, skill upgradation and training through Open and Distance Education (ODE)
N
IOS is the pivotal organisation for Open and Distance learning from the year 2010-11. NIOS has introduced 100 percent online admissions to facilitate learners to register; and 4,80,513 learners have been enrolled, bringing the valid cumulative enrolments to 17,56,319. Following its basic philosophy, to reach the unreached and unreachable ,i.e. vulnerable sections of the society and those living in difficult contexts; 5911 accreditation Institution, AVIs, AAs and study centres are functional. Keeping in view the target groups and their diversified needs pre-degree courses vary from basic education to senior secondary level, alongwith vocational education and life-enrichment programmes. NIOS with international recognition provides access to sustainable and learner-centric quality school education, skill upgradation and training through Open and Distance Education (ODE) and ensures convergence of Open Schooling. National Consortium for
30
www.digitalLEARNING.in
Open Schooling (NCOS), NIOS provides professional support to states to set up and develop State Open Schools particularly with regional medium. COMOSA is a non-profit, democratic collaborative and futuristic organisation with commitment to support efforts of Open Schooling Institutions with an aim to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) of United Nations, the association through ODL provides innovative, high quality equitable, gender sensitive and cost effective programmes of school education for sustainable development in Common Wealth Countries. Both NCOS and COMOSA have their secretariats at NIOS HQs in NOIDA.
Vocationalization of Secondary Education At NIOS vocational courses are offered at basic education, secondary and sr. secondary and post SS level. It provides an opportunity to continue education without disturbing one’s work with no upper age
limit and facility to complete a course in five years, credit accumulation, Self Learning Material (SLM) and Personal Contact Programmes (PCP) and ‘On Demand Examination System’ (ODES) where students can take exams as per their convenience makes it a unique system of education. In 201011, 13,438 students were enrolled, rising the cumulative valid enrolments to 16,6,641. Vocational courses are offered through 1313 AVIs spread throughout the country.
Special Achievements (1) HUNAR The ‘HUNAR’ is a unique, innovative project of NIOS for empowerment of Muslim girls through vocational training and skill development. Over 505 new centres under 27 nodal agencies have been inspected and accredited apart from 298 accredited Institutions of Hunar. Tripartite MoUs have been signed with these nodal agencies for collaboration with NIOS for running project Hunar.
(2) SPQEM Scheme for Providing Quality Education in Madrasas (SPQEM) launched by MHRD has been adopted by NIOS. Where in Madarasas/Maktabs have been accredited for, primary to Senior Secondary level and financial assistance is provided to Maktabs, Madarasas and Darul-ulooms. The Minority cell at NIOS has developed Multimedia programmes in Urdu vocational courses and books have been translated to Urdu Medium along with the facility to take exams in Urdu Medium. (3) International collaborations Under public private partnership (PPP). NIOS has signed an MoU with CISCO, a reputed international organization in field of information technology. An online certificate course titled ‘IT essentials: PC Hardware and Software’ of six months has started on pilot basis. NIOS has enterered into MoU with Bangalore-based NGO, Functional Vocational Training and Research Soci-