IGNOU to start 100 community colleges for have-nots
New Delhi: In a unique initiative, the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) will start 100 community colleges to educate underprivileged students using the unutilised capacities of educational institutions across the country. The scheme will be launched by Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Kapil Sibal on Saturday and the colleges will commence their courses from the coming academic session, the varsity said on Friday. The students who attend these colleges shall acquire associate degrees, which will ensure them a lateral entry to the Bachelor's programme for a formal graduation degrees. "Initially 100 out of 800 applicant colleges have been selected to run the community colleges. Most of them are private institutions," IGNOU Vice Chancellor V. N. Rajasekharan Pillai said. IGNOU's role will be accreditation, quality monitoring and evaluation, certification and course development. Each selected college has an average capital investment of Rs.150 millio...