Uttarakhand Open University

There has been a significant growth in the area of open and distance education around the world. Open Distance and Learning mode of education has been recognized as one of the effective tools of educationally empowering the sections of the society who could not afford to join the formal on-campus education due to various reasons. Presently, ODL institutions are not only imparting education as an alternative to the formal system but also in areas such as vocational and technical education and even in high technology based education. The distance education also has potential to reach to the un-reached and even marginalized and excluded groups such as tribal populations and women. Open and distance education provides an opportunity to students for acquiring new knowledge and skills that are needed to function in the society. Uttarakhand Open University being in education field for anew has taken initiatives to offer an opportunity to those students who are unable to get on-campus education and those who have limited access to education resources. The Uttarakhand Open University was established in 2005 to promote education through open and distance learning system, with introduction of flexible and innovative methods of education to ensure ‘independent learning’ to anyone, anytime and anywhere. The programmes of Uttarakhand Open University also envisage providing an opportunity to women of Uttarakhand who by and large has been left out in educational efforts of our nation. Uttarakhand Open University’s study programmes are selective and customized to meet the learning requirements of knowledge seekers as well as to ensure that they learn at their own pace and convenience. Within the financial means of University, due care has been taken to keep the cost of education low so that educationally backward sections can take advantage of University’s programmes through ODL mode. Keeping this goal in view, the Uttarakhand Open University has made concerted efforts to offer professional and job oriented courses with regular updates of curricula and study material and introduction of tools of Information Technology. Uttarakhand Open University has been contributing to the development and training of qualified human resource capital for the state. Uttarakhand Open University has also signed Memorandum of Understanding with several leading research institutes, companies and professional bodies for the training of the students. Uttarakhand Open University has been offering many courses through (Open and Distance Learning) mode of education. For all these courses there are strong in-house capabilities which are available to students all the time. The Uttarakhand Open University has given some flexible rules and norms to the aspiring students so that more and more students can take admission in this university. This university conducts entrance tests for those students who have no certificate on any formal education. Students can get admission there once they meet the criteria of the university. This is the only university of India which is an exceptional example in providing education in three different languages- Hindi, English and Urdu. The designing of the courses have done in such a way that they can meet the needs of Uttarakhand. Since nature is a big resource for Uttarakhand, thus this university provides courses on forestry, food processing, micro energy development programs, natural resource development etc. As tourism is a big revenue earning factor for this place thus the Uttarakhand Open University also have courses on tourism and management.