Union Education Minister inaugurates campus virtually
STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: After a long wait of 26 years ever since IGNOU operations started in J&K in the year 1998 on government invitation, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Regional Centre Jammu now has its own campus in Jammu at Rajinder Vihar Housing Colony, Phase-I, Bantalab, Jammu. The state of the art campus has a built-up area of around 6800 sq.ft. built on a parcel of land measuring 14.5 Kanals. Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister of Education, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, inaugurated the campus building on Wednesday virtually. The Jammu campus was dedicated in the presence of Prof. Nageshwar Rao, Vice Chancellor, IGNOU, Dr. Srikant Mohapatra, Pro Vice Chancellor, IGNOU, Dr. U.C. Pandey, Director Regional Services Division, IGNOU and Dr. Alok Chaube, Registrar (Administration), IGNOU.
A number of dignitaries attended the inauguration ceremony at the venue of new Jammu campus of IGNOU. Finance Officer, Shri J.D. Gangwar, Dr. M Shanmugam, Regional Director, IGNOU RC Madurai, Dr. Joginder Kumar Yadav, Regional Director, IGNOU, RC Shimla, Er. Rajan Sharma, AEE (E), IGNOU, Maidan Garhi, New Delhi, Prof. Bechan Lal, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, Cluster University of Jammu, Prof. Ashok Aima, Former Vice Chancellor, Central University of Jammu, Dr. Rajeev Rattan, Professor & Dean, Faculty of Education, University of Jammu, Dr. Jasbir Singh, Head, Deptt of Economics, University of Jammu, Dr. Sangita Gupta, Head, Deptt. of Library & Information & Information Sciences, University of Jammu graced the occasion at Jammu by their presence.
Dr. Jai Prakash Verma, Regional Director, IGNOU Regional Centre Jammu presented the welcome address in which he stated that this is a historic moment for the Regional Centre Jammu to have its own permanent full-fledged campus which will not only be beneficial for the Regional Centre but also for the learners and prospective learners of IGNOU in the Jammu region. Dr. Verma stated that the cumulative figure of enrollment at the Regional Centre Jammu since its establishment is around six lakh learners and informed that RC Jammu has shown sustainable growth in enrollment over the years. He stated that RC Jammu on an average registers around 40-45000 learners in a calendar year.
The new campus building has a high tech Electric, Electronic, CCTV, Solar, Intercom, EPABX, Fire Alarm, Fire fighting Downcomer systems with passenger lift, DG Set and Panels. The entire construction work has been carried out by the CPWD.
Jammu Regional Centre of IGNOU has been operating from the premises of Government College of Commerce, Canal Road, Jammu ever since its establishment in the year 1998 in an area of around 2000 sq.ft. only. Regional Centre Jammu at present has 31 Learner Support Centres in prominent Government Higher Education Institutions, University of Jammu campus and in reputed Higher Education Institutions affiliated with the University of Jammu spread across Jammu province of J&K Union Territory with LSCs at most of the district headquarters. It has Learner Support Centres in Central Jail Kot Bhalwal, District Jail Ambphalla, District Jail Udhampur and District Jail Kathua as well. Regional Centre Jammu provides support services to the learners of belt force associated with the IGNOU Army Regional Centre in Northern Command Udhampur.
Dr. Jai Prakash Verma expressed his happiness and said that the new permanent campus will enable us to add more professional and skill based job oriented programmes to be offered to the prospective learners of Jammu region. He said that there are some very popular and high ended professional programmes for which support services are not available in the entire region and learners are forced to seek admission in other Regional Centres. “The new campus with state of the art facilities will enable us to provide support to the learners who enroll for such high ended programmes”, he said.
Dr. Jai Prakash Verma in a press statement expressed his gratitude to the Union Minister, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan and Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, Prof. Nageshwar Rao for the new campus building. He also expressed his thankfulness to Jammu Development Authority, local administration, CPWD, Jammu Municipal Corporation, PHE, JPDCL and all those in the loop for their support in making this dream project a success.
Dr. Asha Upadhyay, ARD, RC Jammu compered the event at Jammu campus. Dr. Vikram Singh, ARD, RC Jammu presented the Vote of Thanks.