NEWS BULLETIN · Directors based on a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) ANALYSIS of the Regional Offices. ... on Doordarshan (DD-I) from 5.02 a.m to 05.25 a.m

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National Institute of Open Schooling

EDUCATION SECRETARY ADDRESSESREGIONAL DIRECTORS OF NIOS

A Meeting of Regional Directors of the NationalInstitute of Open Schooling (NIOS) was held on19 & 20 July 2010 at the NIOS headquarters atA-24/25, Sector-62, Institutional Area, NOIDA.Such meetings are held every six months toreview the working of the Regional Centres.

Addressing the gathering, Smt. Anshu Vaish,IAS, Secretary, School Education and Literacy,MHRD, GOI appreciated the flexibility beingoffered by the NIOS particularly in terms of theplace and pace of learning, use of ICT etc. pavingthe way for the Right to Education which alsoaccommodated such flexibilities.

The Education Secretary also visited the LearnerSupport Centre (LSC) of the NIOS whichfunctions as a Multi-mode Response Centre,using different modes of communication torespond to the queries of learners.

The following manuals/brochures prepared byNIOS for the benefit of learners and RegionalCentres were released by the EducationSecretary on the occasion.

• Student’s brochure on ICT Based On-Demand Examination System (ODES)

• Information Brochure on the Learner SupportCentre

• Manual and Operational Guidelines forOnline Admission and Registration forExamination

• Handbook of Infrastructural Requirementand Operational Management for On-Demand Examinations at Regional Centres

• Student Brochure on Online Admission

Earlier, inaugurating the programme, Sh. S. C.Khuntia, IAS, Joint Secretary, School Educationand Literacy, MHRD, GOI emphasized on theneed to strengthen the Regional Offices of NIOSto enable them to reach out to the EducationallyBackward Blocks (EBB) in the country.

Pointing out the need for bringing out necessarychanges in the NIOS curriculum, he said thatinteractive content may be prepared in everysubject to make learning more interesting. Healso stressed on the need for a GrievanceRedressal Mechanism to improve the image ofthe institution.

Dr. S. S. Jena, Chairman, NIOS welcomed theparticipants and spoke elaborately on the

Congratulating the NIOS for pioneering such anOpen Schooling System in the country andabroad, she suggested that the infrastructureavailable with formal schools may be utilized bythe NIOS to conduct classes.

Smt. Anshu Vaish, IAS, Secretary, School Educationand Literacy, MHRD, GOI visiting the NIOS Learner

Support Centre (LSC).

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National Institute of Open Schooling

special features of the Open Schooling System.Expressing concern about non-receipt ofproposals from Regional Directors to set upschools in Educationally Backward Blocks anduncovered districts of the country, he advisedRegional Centres to make efforts to makecredible examination centres so that examinationis conducted in a smooth manner.

A presentation on “Administration : revisitingpractices of Governance and Management “ wasmade by Sri.G.G.Saxena, IAS, Secretary, NIOS.Presentations were also made by RegionalDirectors based on a SWOT (Strengths,Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats)ANALYSIS of the Regional Offices.

Presentations on the following issues weremade during the two day meeting:

• “Internal Quality Assurance in StudentSupport Services”

Dr. Sushmita Mitra, Director (Student SupportServices) highlighted the importance ofmaintaining quality by conforming to setstandards which will in turn improveefficiency.

• “Academic Issues and Priorities”

Dr. Rajesh Kumar, Joint Director (Acad.) andDirector (Academic) – Incharge explainedabout various strengths such as Promotionof Open Schooling, Research andDevelopment, Institutional Support,Adolescence Education Project (AEP),international exposure, use of technology etc.possessed by the Academic Department.

• “Optimum use of Information andTechnology”

Sh. S.K. Prasad (System Analyst /Programmer) explained about the newinitiatives taken by the Chairman, NIOS forthe optimum use of technology such as newlinks created for dissemination of informationto Accredited Institutions and learners.

• A “Consultative Discussion on Researchand Development Activities in NIOS” wasconducted by Prof. M.M. Mukhopadhyay.

• A special lecture session onAdministrative/Financial matters by Sh. R.Tyagarajan, Deputy Registrar(Establishments), IGNOU was alsoorganized during the meeting.

The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks bySri.G.G.Saxena, IAS, Secretary, NIOS.

NIOS examinations – October/ November2010

The Senior Secondary and SecondaryExaminations of the NIOS will commence onOctober 20 and 23 , 2010 respectively.

Examinations for Vocational courses willbegin on November 12, 2010.

For overseas candidates, separateexaminations are scheduled to be held fromOctober 5, 2010.

The detailed date sheet for the October/November 2010 examinations are available onthe NIOS website www.nios.ac.in

NIOS TO DEVELOP LIFE SKILLSENRICHED STUDY MATERIAL

The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS)is implementing the Ministry of Human ResourceDevelopment (MHRD) and UNFPA India-supported Adolescence Education Program

Sri. G.G. Saxena, IAS, Secretary, NIOS addressingthe participants of the Sensitization Workshop

organised by the Adolescence EducationProgramme (AEP) unit, NIOS

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National Institute of Open Schooling

(AEP) which focuses on enhancing life skills toenable young learners to tackle real-lifesituations effectively. The NIOS feels that lifeskills enhancement would be an important valueaddition that will go a long way in improving theoverall quality of the study material, benefittingthe learners.

Encouraged by the success of its pilot project tointegrate life skills in selected lessons andsubjects in its Secondary curriculum, the NIOShas embarked on an initiative to integrate lifeskills in five subjects namely English, Hindi,Science, Social Science and Home Science inits Secondary curriculum in 2010. Each subjectconsists of approximately 20-25 lessons. Thesubjects of Science and Home Science will havean additional Practical Manual each.

In the pilot project, the most popular subjects ofHome Science, Social Science, Science &Technology and Languages (Hindi and English)were identified for integration to maximize thereach of the integrated lessons. Issues ofempathy and communication skills were builtinto languages; Social Science chapter onpopulation enabled the learner to recognize howa large population could also be viewed asIndia’s most important asset rather than beingperceived only as a liability; issues of consumerrights were included in home science andsimilarly several life skills were woven into allthe 15 model lessons without compromising thesubject content.

In the light of the above, the National Institute ofOpen Schooling (NIOS) organized aSensitization Workshop for the CurriculumCommittees of the subjects of English, Hindi,Social Science, Home Science and Science &Technology on 28 July 2010 at its headquartersat NOIDA.

The Chief Guest of the programme, Dr. GeetaNarayanan, Programme Officer, AdolescenceEducation Programme, UNFPA shared herviews regarding life skills.

Earlier, in his opening remarks, Dr. RajeshKumar, Joint Director (Academic), NIOS

explained the objectives of the workshop andhighlighted the importance of inclusion oflifeskills in the curriculum.

This was followed by a presentation on“Curricular Interventions – NIOS Perspectives”by Ms.Asheema Singh, Project Co-ordinator,Adolescence Education Programme, NIOS.

Shri. C. Dharuman, Director (Evaluation), NIOSalso emphasized on the importance of life skilleducation.

The inaugural session ended with a vote ofthanks by Shri. G.G.Saxena, Secretary, NIOS.

About 50 members of the Curriculum Committeesof the subjects identified for the integration of lifeskills participated in the meeting.

NIOS EXTENDS ITS EDUCATIONALOPPORTUNITIES TO VISHAKHAPATNAM(24 July 2010)

A Sub-Regional Center of the National Instituteof Open Schooling (NIOS) was inaugurated on24 July 2010 by Smt. D. Purandeshwari, Ministerof State for Human Resource Development atVishakhapatnam, to extend educationalopportunities through open and distance learningmethodologies to prospective learners.

Smt. D. Purandeshwari, Minister of State for HumanResource Development addressing the gathering at the

inauguration of the NIOS Sub-Regional Centre atVishakhapatnam.

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National Institute of Open SchoolingA-24-25, Institutional Area, Sector-62, NOIDA, UP

Website : www.nios.ac.inToll Free No. 18001809393

Editorial Board• S.S. Jena, Chairman, NIOS : Chief Editor

• Gowri Diwaker, PRO : Editor

• Gopa Biswas, Dy. Director : Member

• Bhawna Dhyani, Dy. Director : Member

• Koushalya Barik, Assistant Director : Member

• Anitha Nair, Assistant Director : Member

National Institute of Open Schooling

ON –DEMAND EXAMINATION IN THESUBJECT OF ENGLISH (SENIORSECONDARY LEVEL)

The On-Demand Examination in English (302)is ready to be launched. The exam will begin from1 September 2010. This will be the 12th subjectin the Senior Secondary level.

WORKSHOP ON LESSON WRITING INTAMIL LANGUAGE (SENIOR SECONDARYLEVEL)

The fourth workshop for development of coursematerial in Tamil language for the SeniorSecondary level was held at Kochi from 9 Julyto 11 July 2010.

Highlighting the fact that the Secondary levelcourse material in Tamil developed by the NIOShas received wide appreciation from learnersand co-ordinators, the Chairman of the

Success Story: A Determined Learner

Ashok Rohilla

Enrolment No. : 000033911/920938

A drop-out owing to personal situations and a strong desire to continue education landedSri. Ashok Rohilla in the ‘Open and Distance Education System’. Delighted to knowfrom friends about the flexibility of the system, Sri. Rohilla completed his Secondaryand Senior Secondary Courses from the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS).

Presently employed in the Academic Department of NIOS, Sri Rohilla attributes hisdesire to continue education even in his forties to the institution in which he works. He is truly anexample of a learner who pursued studies by fully utilizing the opportunities provided by the distanceeducation system.

Curriculum Committee, Dr.C.Subramaniam saidthat he was expecting the same response for theSecondary level too. He also assured that nocontroversial issues would be incorporated in thematerial.

Earlier, the workshop was formally inauguratedby Sri. V.S.Raveendran, Regional Director,NIOS, Kochi.

MEDIA PROGRAMMES AND ACTIVITIES

• NIOS video programmes are being telecaston Doordarshan (DD-I) from 5.02 a.m to05.25 a.m every Friday and on Gyandarshanchannel from 6.30 p.m to 7.00 p.m. everyday.

• NIOS audio programmes are beingbroadcast on Gyanvani FM channel from8.30a.m. to 9.00 a.m. and repeat broadcastfrom 4.30 p.m. to 5.00 p.m. on every Friday,Sataurday and Sunday.