IGNOU launches three new micro-credential courses with NCW partnership

Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and the National Commission for Women (NCW) signed an agreement and launched three micro-credential courses on August 14, 2026. The collaboration aims to strengthen structured learning, awareness and capacity building on issues concerning women.

The partnership will cover areas such as legal literacy, gender sensitisation, constitutional awareness, women's empowerment, digital and cyber safety, leadership development, research and capacity building.

The registrations for the courses are open through the IGNOU samarth admission portal.

IGNOU vice chancellor Uma Kanjilal and NCW chairperson Vijaya K. Rahatkar led the collaboration. IGNOU registrar Jitendra Kumar Srivastava and NCW deputy secretary Neeraj Sharma formally signed the agreement.

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Three new courses launched

The three courses introduced under the partnership are POSH-Prevention of sexual harassment at workplace, Women's leadership, Capacity building & workplace behaviour, and Gender sensitization: society and culture.

The POSH course will focus on preventing sexual harassment and creating safe and dignified workplaces. The women's leadership course will deal with leadership skills, professional capacity and women's participation in workplace settings.

The third course will help applicants understand gender issues in their social and cultural context. Together, the three programmes are aimed at addressing different aspects of gender equality and women's participation in society and the workplace.

Focus on practical learning

NCW chairperson Vijay Rahatkar said, “When academic strength and field experience come together, knowledge does not remain confined to books; it becomes a medium for bringing change in society. These programmes must remain learner-centric, practical and useful so that learners are able to apply this knowledge in their lives and workplace”.

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Uma Kanjilal said the collaboration would go beyond creating awareness and focus on building capacity, encouraging behavioural change and empowering people.

She said, “this collaboration will take us beyond awareness towards capacity building, behavioural change and empowerment, contributing to safer workplaces, stronger women leaders and a more equitable society. This is not merely the launch of three courses; it is the beginning of a sustained partnership between two national institutions committed to making knowledge a powerful instrument of social transformation.”

More courses under this agreement

As a part of the agreement, IGNOU will oversee the academic structure, curriculum development, digital hosting, learner support and certification, NCW will provide thematic content, identify priority areas and support outreach activities.

The three courses launched on August 14 are the first programmes under the collaboration. The partnership can also be extended to courses on gender sensitisation, prevention of sexual harassment and domestic violence, legal and constitutional literacy, cyber and AI safety, mental health, leadership development, trafficking and safe migration.