More IGNOU centres face closedown in Kerala

KOCHI: With many IGNOU (Indira Gandhi National Open University) regional study centres in Kerala not adhering to the prescribed procedures and for lack of student strength, a large number of them have closed down and some are on the verge of shutdown.Many centres were allotted without adhering to criteria and norms, which has forced IGNOU to close them down, said a top IGNOU official on condition of anonymity. Around 100 study centres are on the verge of closing down, the official said.Initiatives have been taken for closing down 13 study centres in Thiruvanathapuram itself, he added. Sources also said that IGNOU shortage of students was another reason. In some centres, there were hardly four or five students, they said.As it was economically not viable to run these centres, it has been decided to close them down, they said. Students registered in centres facing shutdown have been given the option to change their study centre. They also alleged that most of the centres were allotted under political pressure and without looking into its feasibility. A lot of centres had been allotted in the last five to six years, they said. IGNOU’s venture with Akshaya had also proved to be a failure, a top official said. Though the project was still in vogue, only a few Akshaya centres had good strength of students. Only a few students got registered through Akshaya, he said. However, former IGNOU vice-chancellor V N Rajasekharan Pillai said that he was not aware of any such closure. “I have no information about it. The IGNOU has expanded in the state in the last four to five years,” he said.