The Hindu : Karnataka News : IGNOU to offer distance education courses in sericulture

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 31, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka

IGNOU to offer distance education courses in sericulture

By Laiqh A. Khan

MYSORE, JAN. 30. The Central Silk Board (CSB) and Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) have tied up to provide educational and training programmes in sericulture through distance mode with the focus on entrepreneurial activity.

As a first step in the collaborative effort, the board and IGNOU will develop and launch a certificate programme in sericulture, a diploma programme in silkworm rearing and a diploma programme in silkworm seed technology from the next academic year, the Joint Director of the Central Sericultural Research and Training Institute (CSRTI), R.K. Rajan, told The Hindu .

Memorandum signed

The board and IGNOU signed a memorandum of understanding in this regard in New Delhi recently. The purpose of the joint venture is to promote entrepreneurship in the sericulture industry. Experts consider self-employment and entrepreneurship in sericulture as a solution to the widespread unemployment problem in the country, and it can also help increase silk production.

Its status as the second largest producer of raw silk in the world notwithstanding, India has not been able to meet the growing demand for silk by weavers. Against a demand for 25,000 tonnes, the country produces only around 15,000 tonnes a year. A ready market exists for an additional 10,000 tonnes of silk. Silk products manufactured in India not only enjoy a huge domestic market, but also have many takers abroad. India earns about Rs. 2,700 crores from silk exports annually.

Research

The CSRTI, which provides research and development support to the sericulture industry, has a training division for graduates, youth, skilled and unskilled workers.

It has made an impact on the sericulture sector in the country by developing and spreading advanced sericulture technologies.

IGNOU is a premier distance education university that uses novel techniques and methodologies to benefit a large section of the society, particularly weaker and disadvantaged groups.

Under the open and distance mode of learning, CSRTI will provide the academic content for the programme. Expenditure on development and delivery of the programme and the revenue collected in the form of fees will be shared equally between the board and the university.

Students who have passed SSLC or PUC will be considered for the distance education programme. Mr. Rajan said that 35 study centres will be set up in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir and other places.

The courses will be of six months duration. Students will have to attend a weeklong orientation programme at the beginning of the course. A monthlong contact programme will also be held to provide students hands-on training.

The courses will be conducted in English, Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, and Bengali.

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