6 days ago
Professor Uma Kanjilal becomes Ignou's first woman Vice Chancellor
The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has appointed Professor Uma Kanjilal as its new Vice Chancellor, making her the first woman to hold the top post since the university's founding in appointment marks a significant milestone for IGNOU, one of the largest open universities in the world. Professor Kanjilal has been serving as acting Vice Chancellor since July 25, 2024, and previously held the position of Pro Vice Chancellor from March 2021 to July for her contributions to digital education, she has played a vital role in enhancing technology-enabled learning within the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) THREE DECADES OF EXPERIENCE IN ODL
With a career spanning over 36 years, Professor Kanjilal has held several key positions within IGNOU. These include Director of the Centre for Online Education, the Inter-University Consortium for Technology-Enabled Flexible Education, and the Advanced Centre for Informatics and Innovative Learning.A Professor of Library and Information Science since 2003, she has consistently worked to bring innovative digital tools into education. Her initiatives have helped bridge the digital divide and expand access to learning resources across IN NATIONAL DIGITAL EDUCATION PROGRAMMESAt the national level, Professor Kanjilal serves as the National Coordinator for the Ministry of Education's flagship digital learning platforms, SWAYAM and SWAYAM also leads IGNOU's Project Management Unit under the NMEICT Phase-III, which supports digital infrastructure in higher previously led the National Virtual Library of India Project, a major government initiative to provide unified access to India's rich cultural and academic RECOGNITION AND CONTRIBUTIONSInternationally, Professor Kanjilal is a Fulbright Fellow and has worked with the Commonwealth of Learning and the UNRWA in Jordan to promote online and open education contributions have earned her multiple honours, including the Manthan Award for e-Education, an Australia-India Council Grant, and a DANIDA leadership is expected to further strengthen IGNOU's global presence in online and flexible learning, especially at a time when digital education is rapidly evolving.- Ends
