The country’s most popular distance learning national university, IGNOU (Indira Gandhi National Open University) has decided to introduce four certificate courses to families of weavers in Odisha, all free of cost. About a dozen regional directors from East Zone – Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and West Bengal – met and discussed about this program in a 2-day event.

For Whom is the Program Meant?

Weavers who live in Kantapalli of Sonepur and Sagarpalli of Bargarh are allowed to sign up for this offer. Weavers who are being trained under the govt’s Unnat Bharat Abhiyan are encouraged to advance their skills through this.

Dr Abhilash Nayak, the regional director for IGNOU Bhubaneshwar, guided the weavers by talking to them about honing their skills in the best possible way. He advised them to enhance their latest practises for improving their weaving skills and designing the clothes.

The Director’s Decisions

Dr Nayak added that the organisers will use information and communication technology (ICT) to connect the weavers with the govt offices. This will help them get acquainted with technology that can possibly help them with their work in the future.

The four certification courses that will be introduced by IGNOU in favour of the weaver families of Odisha include: computer literacy programme (CLP), certificate course on entrepreneurship, NGO management, and Bachelor Preparatory Programme (BPP). Out of these, the BPP is an exclusive course which allows dropouts from schools and colleges to get an opportunity to try for a bachelor’s degree directly. He/she will have to write an entrance exam which will determine if he/she can participate in the Bachelor’s program.

Members of weaver families from both districts who are interested to get the most out of this program will need to enrol with their details at the nearest IGNOU centre. Dr Nayak said that the four courses can be completed in six months.

A fee exemption to SC and ST applicants of these UG courses has been announced by the university. A translation from English to Odia will be done of subject matters so the students understand better. All of these put together is bound to help families of weavers in these regions, mention IGNOU sources.