Second life

An Army-IGNOU tie-up is all set to help men in uniform embark on a second career successfully

To meet the twin objectives of empowering soldiers educationally and the requirement of giving a formal recognition to the education undertaken by a soldier during the service in the Army, Indian Army and Indira Gandhi National Open University signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).



The project named 'Gyan Deep', signifying knowledge, will confer educational certification to soldiers of the Indian Army, within the parameters laid down by IGNOU for Community Colleges, recognizing the 'in-service' training done by them.u00a0 IGNOU will register regimental training centres/human resource development centres of the Indian Army and Army Schools of Instructions as 'Community Colleges'. Based on US community college system, the project is expected to benefit the 1.2 million soldiers in the Army.

The MoU was signed by Army's Adjutant General Lt Gen Mukesh Sabharwal and IGNOU Vice Chancellor Professor V N Rajasekharan Pillai in the presence of the Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor at South Block.

"We have signed the MoU by which we will ensure that all army men who retire have graduation degrees, which will enable them to go for a second career and also enhance the amount of workforce in the country," the Army Chief said.

Pillai, too, is pepped up. "With the signing of the MOU with IGNOU leading towards award of academic diploma/associate degree and Graduation Degree to soldiers, a major step forward has been taken to empower the soldier to live a life of dignity and confidence after he leaves the service for a second career."

The Army-IGNOU Community Colleges will function as autonomous bodies conducting examinations and their courses as before. Credits from such approved courses will be transferred to the programme and will count towards the desired credits to be earned for an associate degree. Certain credits are to be earned for a graduation degree which would be from approved elective courses offered by IGNOU or the Army to be undertaken after grant of an associate degree. Approval of these courses with credit ratings would be accorded and reviewed by the 'Army-IGNOU Academic Committee' at regular intervals.