IGNOU to offer all academic programmes in Odia after agreement with Odisha Govt

The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) signed an agreement with the department of higher education, Odisha, for providing all of its available academic programmes in the Odia language. The partnership is a step forward towards the multilingual education goal of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

IGNOU is set to provide academic content, learner support, and assessments in the Odia language, so that higher education can be made accessible to Odia learners in undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma and certificate programmes offered by the university.

This is a milestone towards providing higher education in regional languages all over the country, the university said. With this initiative, IGNOU hopes to foster academic growth and social inclusion, as language ceases to be a barrier to higher education in India. This move is expected to boost the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in Odisha.

Odia programmes in IGNOU

The agreement took place with Suryabanshi Suraj, minister of higher education, Odisha, and Uma Kanjilal, vice chancellor of IGNOU in attendance. The ceremony was also attended by senior officials, faculty members and students.

“This initiative aligns with the vision of the National Education Policy 2020, which emphasizes multilingualism as a key pillar of inclusive education. Offering higher education in Odia will empower students across the state, especially those from rural and tribal areas,” remarked Suraj.

Kanjilal talked about IGNOU’s contribution towards bringing higher education to the grassroots level in India. She said that bringing academic programmes in the Odia language will not only bridge the language barrier, but it will also strengthen cultural identity and learner engagement.