RELEVANCE OF DISTANCE EDUCATION: A STUDY OF IGNOU PROGRAMMES IN PERSPECTIVE OF JAMMU REGIONAL CENTRE

Distance education has gained popularity al over the world a a means of extending education to the mases. The wide spread usage for higher education witnesed the development of distance education system. The system has ben recognized as a viable alternative system of education. During the last two decades, the system had signifcant impact in the system of education in the developing as wel as developed countries because of its utilty, higher efectivenes, high productivity, and greater flexibilty in the scheme. Distance education therefore, is a method of imparting knowledge, skils and atitudes, which is rationalized by the aplication of division of labour, extensive use of technical media, especialy for the purpose of reproducing higher quality teaching material, which makes it posible to instruct large number of students at the same time wherever they live. In nutshel distance education is an industrialized form of teaching learning. On the other hand, Indira Gandhi national Open University was established at the central level in 20th Sep, 1985, with the objectives of providing flexible, inovative and cost efective higher education, to al segments of the society, irespective of any diference. It helps the country in removing imbalance which have existed in the formal education i.e. enrolment of male students vis-à-vis female students, rural as wel as urban development, vocational education as wel as theoretical education. Thus, in other words its main task is to fulfil academic, social and economic objectives. Establishment of Indira Gandhi national Open University Regional centre, Jammu in 198 is one step forward in the field of distance education. This Regional Centre with 26 study centers throughout Jammu region is also playing an important role in imparting higher education to al arge population. Hence, it can be summarized that the instiution of distance education have ben playing an important role by providing education to al sections of society, especialy the group of AbstractSRJHS&EL/ Mohd Zubair Kales (318-34) APRIL-MAY, 2014. Vol. -I, ISUE-II www.srjis.com Page 319 ‘people’ residing in remote, hily and far flung areas of Jammu through its distance mode of education.