[Assam] GU breaks new ground with distance education (The Assam Tribune, 26.06.2010)

[Buljit Buragohain]

GU breaks new
 ground with distance education
Staff 
reporter
 GUWAHATI, June 25 – Gauhati University’s Institute of 
Distance and Open Learning (IDOL) has broken new grounds in expanding 
quality education in Assam and other parts of NE India. By offering 
well-received programmes at affordable costs it has answered to the 
needs of over 9,000 students so far.Manjulika Srivastava, Director of 
Distance Education Council, who was in Guwahati, told this newspaper 
that IDOL’s emergence is significant not just in its reach, but in the 
way quality study materials have been developed.She appreciated the way in which the 
institute was making use of technology in its operations. “It is indeed 
commendable that IDOL has made use of new technologies to make distance 
and open education an exciting prospect,” she remarked.From humble roots, IDOL at present 
offers 25 programmes, which include those on Assamese, English, Boro, 
Political Science, and Information Technology, to name a few. A total of
 304 study materials have been developed by a pool of academics, and 
more are being added this year.The institute takes in students from various backgrounds, 
except for the Computer Science programmes, for which science graduates 
are preferred. But before getting admissions, it is ensured that 
students go in for a counselling sessions so what is on offer matches 
their expectations. Speaking to The Assam Tribune, Director of IDOL, Dr 
Kandarpa Das mentioned that the success of IDOL can be attributed to 
careful planning and use of time and resources in a manner that benefits
 the students. “We have put great emphasis on developing high quality 
study materials by bringing in academics who know the concept of open 
learning, as a result the textbooks are interesting and motivational to 
students who are away from the classroom,” he noted.He revealed that imaginative use of low 
cost technology has also come to make operations more efficient. The 
institute relies on computers to maintain a database of all its 
students, and uses bulk sms to keep its students informed. Learners have
 ample opportunities to interact with faculty and the director himself 
responds to queries whenever necessary. Significantly, among those who have 
benefited from IDOL are people living away from Guwahati who can take 
tests in one of its 18 centres, and women who have found it especially 
convenient. At present nearly 80 per cent of students on IDOL’s rolls 
are women, many of whom are married. Das said that many young women, even 
though academically inclined, cannot complete higher education due to 
marriage or other reasons. However, with IDOL offering a range of 
programmes, a large number of them have a chance to receive a degree. “A
 degree builds capacity, and it also creates confidence among women,” he
 observed.Here,

 it may be mentioned that IDOL’s portal Bodhidroom has started 
attracting more hits in recent years. www.bodhidroom.idolgu.org
 the site
 has received acclaim for its content and user-friendly format.
(The Assam Tribune,26.06.2010)