Prof. Uma Kanjilal, Hon'ble Vice-Chancellor of IGNOU visited RC Dehradun on 11 August 2026

 Prof. Uma Kanjilal, Hon'ble Vice-Chancellor of IGNOU visited RC Dehradun on 11 August 2026

Prof. Uma Kanjilal, Hon'ble Vice-Chancellor of IGNOU, visited the IGNOU Regional Centre, Dehradun on August 11, 2026. Upon her arrival, she was welcomed by the Senior Regional Director and Head, Dr. Anil Kumar Dimri, along with other officials and staff members of the Regional Centre and local study centres.

During the visit, the Hon'ble Vice-Chancellor interacted with the officials and staff of the Regional Centre and talked about various academic and administrative activities that are being undertaken by the Regional Centre. She reviewed the efforts being made by the Regional Centre to provide quality higher education and enhanced academic support to students.

Welcoming the Hon'ble Vice-Chancellor, Senior Regional Director Dr. Anil Kumar Dimri shared detailed information regarding the Regional Centre's academic and administrative activities, the services provided to students, and the expansion of IGNOU's educational reach in Uttarakhand. He also apprised her of the various initiatives undertaken by the Regional Centre and LSCs including conduct of support services for eVBAB-ICCR learners from Afghanistan and conduct of Placement drive in recent years. Dr. Dimri stated that the Regional Centre continuously strives to effectively deliver quality higher education, academic guidance, and student-centric services to the maximum number of students through open and distance learning and online education.

Coordinators of the local study centres (Learner Support Centres) affiliated with the Regional Centre and other dignitaries were also present on this occasion. Hon’ble Vice Chancellor also interacted with all the LSC functionaries and noted input shared by them.

The event saw a good turnout from the press, with journalists representing both print publications and electronic broadcasting channels in attendance. Capitalizing on the opportunity, media personnel engaged in an interactive Q&A session with the Vice-Chancellor. They sought detailed insights regarding the university's upcoming academic programs, infrastructure expansions, and strategic roadmap, ensuring comprehensive media coverage of the institution's current progress.

In her address, Prof. Uma Kanjilal stated that since its establishment in 1985, IGNOU has made remarkable progress in the field of education. Currently, approximately 40 lakh students are enrolled at the university. IGNOU has carved out a distinct identity and reputation not only at the national level but also internationally. In the evolving educational landscape, IGNOU is rapidly moving towards an integrated model of Open, Distance, and Digital Learning.

She further noted that the IGNOU Regional Centre, Dehradun, was established in 1999. Currently through 21 active Learner Support Centres academic services are delivered across the state of Uttarakhand. She remarked that the Dehradun Regional Centre is playing a pivotal role in the expansion of open and distance education throughout the state. Commending the work of the Dehradun Regional Centre, the Vice-Chancellor noted that the centre is doing commendable work—not only within Uttarakhand but also at national and international levels through online education systems. She mentioned that under the Ministry of External Affairs' (Government of India) 'e-VidyaBharati' project, the Dehradun Regional Centre is contributing to the provision of quality higher education to students from Afghanistan and African nations.

Prof. Uma Kanjilal stated that the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP-2020) has presented a significant opportunity to integrate skill-based education with higher education. In this direction, IGNOU is developing numerous new and employment-oriented programs. Outlining the university's future plans, she mentioned that work would soon begin on developing regional centres into 'Skill Hubs.' Additionally, there are plans to launch more employment-oriented and skill-based programs for students by establishing better coordination with the industry sector.

She noted that IGNOU has incorporated several key provisions of NEP-2020 into its academic framework. Notable among these are features such as Multiple Entry and Multiple Exit options, the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC), four-year undergraduate programs, and credit transfer facilities. She further explained that, in alignment with the National Education Policy, IGNOU is offering various courses in regional languages, a task in which the regional centres have played a pivotal role.

She mentioned that IGNOU has already adopted NEP-2020 framework in its academic programmes since the launch of NEP 2020 and this year the first batch of four year Bachelor degree programme learners will be appearing in their final year. In alignment to this, the university has recently launched one-year Master's degree programs across nine disciplines.

Shedding light on future plans, the Vice-Chancellor stated that regional centers would be further empowered digitally and technologically in the near future. Efforts will be made to develop studio facilities at these centers to produce and broadcast online lectures in local and regional languages. She added that special emphasis would be placed on developing and updating curricula in alignment with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and industry requirements, ensuring students acquire the knowledge and skills needed for the evolving job market. She further mentioned that future initiatives would focus on regularly organizing placement drives at regional centers and establishing more effective engagement with IGNOU alumni. This would provide students with access to employment opportunities, career guidance, and professional networking.

Prof. Uma Kanjilal stated that discussions and deliberations are underway at the government level to develop IGNOU into a 'Virtual University' in the future. The university's regional centers will play a pivotal role in advancing this significant initiative. Keeping in mind the evolving needs at both national and international levels, IGNOU is developing and conducting numerous innovative, skill-based, and employment-oriented academic programs, and the university remains continuously active in this direction.

The Vice-Chancellor stated that IGNOU's core objective is to take quality higher education to every segment of society. She expressed the expectation that the Dehradun Regional Centre would play an active role in further expanding IGNOU's educational reach, aligning it with the local needs of Uttarakhand, the aspirations of students, and the region's socio-economic conditions.

In conclusion, Senior Regional Director Dr. Anil Kumar Dimri expressed gratitude to the Hon'ble Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Uma Kanjilal. Dr Rajeev Kumar, Regional Director proposed vote of thank to the guests.

The event concluded with a tree plantation by the Hon'ble Vice-Chancellor within the Regional Centre premises.

Officials and staff from the Dehradun Regional Centre, the Coordinator and Assistant Coordinators from IGNOU Study Centre 2705 (DAV PG College, Dehradun), the Assistant Coordinator from IGNOU Study Centre 31046 (SBS University, Balawala, Dehradun), and representatives from print and electronic media were present on the occasion.