IGNOU has started a Community College Scheme. Its web page is at http://communitycollege.ignou.ac.in/Default.aspx and additional detailed information is available at a wiki http://ieg.ignou.ac.in/wiki/index.php/IGNOU_WIKI/Community_Colleges. Following is an excerpt from the latter.
Community Colleges are an alternative system of education which aims to empower individuals through appropriate skill development leading to gainful employment in collaboration with the local industry and community.They offer the advantage of tailoring programmes to local needs and state-based requirements by using approaches that will be most acceptable to workers in the given community. Community Colleges generally have a 2-year curriculum that either leads to an Associate Degree for transfer to an undergraduate college or to the students direct entry into any occupation or trade.These colleges are a source of economic growth because they provide an educated and skilled workforce that improves the quality of life for individuals students, communities, and the nation.
The current list of Community Colleges is given at http://ieg.ignou.ac.in/wiki/images/9/98/FINAL_Community_College_as_on_23_May%2C_2011.pdf. The Community Colleges listed there are:
- ATDC- IGNOU Community College, A/33, Rasulgarh Industrial Estate, Bhubaneswar – 751010, Orissa
- ATDC – IGNOU Community College, Ispat Lower Secondary School, Sector 8, Rourkela-769009
- Dr. Zakir Husain Institute, Plot # 435, Badajena Complex Old Station Square Bhubaneshwar – 751006 Orissa
- Green Valley Community College, GVPS Campus, AT/PO Penta, Via J.K.Pur, Rayaguda Dist, Orissa – 765017
- Holy Lord Education Society, Ramaballav Road, Po/Dist – Puri –752001 Orissa
- Manara Academy, IBF Education and Charitable
Trust, B-1654, Sector-10, Markat Nagar, CDA, Cuttack-753008, Orissa
- MSSRF Community College (M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation), Phulbad, Jeypore, Koraput, Orissa 764002
- SVTI Community College, Mary Villa, Jharsuguda, Orissa
- UPAYA Community College, UPAYA Centre, At. Ramabahal, P.O. kesramal, Via. Rajgangpur, Dist. Sundargarh, Orissa-770017
- Viswa Yuva Kendra, Baninali, Luhamunda, Kishoreganj , Angul-759127, Orissa
In addition to the above, theer are two JIndal-INGOU community colleges that are coming up in Angul and Barbil.
The FAQ at http://ieg.ignou.ac.in/wiki/images/a/a3/FAQS_FINAL.pdf answers many relevant questions such as how to become an IGNOU Community College. Following are some excerpts.
Q: After doing Associate Degree Programme from Community College will the third year be done from IGNOU or any other University?
Ans. We are targeting for IGNOU only.
… Q: How to get an approval of a proposal regarding Community College?
Ans: Please go to IGNOU website and visit the link "Community College‟.
… Q: Who will be eligible to enroll in Community Colleges?
Ans: Anyone who has completed 10+2 or its equivalent is eligible to enroll for the Associate Degree Programme. Similarly students who have completed the BPP Programe of IGNOU may also enroll for the Associate Degree Programme. Eligibility for Certificate Programmes vary from 8th pass and above and that for Diploma Programme vary from 10th pass and above.
… Q: What is the suggested structure of Certificate and Diploma Programme?
Ans: Certificate programmes should be of 6 months‟ duration and equivalent to 16-20 credits. A Diploma programme is of one year duration with 32-36 credits.
The pattern of credits is as follows:
Full-time programmes – one credit is equivalent to 15 contact hours. Part-time / Distance learning programmes – one credit is equivalent to 30 hours of study by a student which includes self-study, assignments, library work, etc. All Community Colleges must conduct theory/practical/in-service/apprenticeship in appropriate proportions commensurate with the teaching methodology.
… Q: How will students transfer from an Associate Degree to the third year of graduation?
Ans: For students who complete an Associate Degree and wish to register for the third year in IGNOU, a credit transfer policy will be worked out between the Community College and IGNOU. The international pattern is to accept about 80% of the credits earned during Associate Degree Programme.
Q: What is the structure of Bachelor’s Preparatory Programme (BPP)?
Ans: Bachelor’s Preparatory Programme has the following three courses.
i) Preparatory Course in General Mathematics ii) Preparatory Course in Social Sciences iii) Preparatory Course in Commerce
A student has to select any two from the above courses.
… Q: Which are the Associate Degree Programmes that can be run through a Community College?
Ans: A Community College is supposed to identify the programmes as per the need of the community. The Master List given on the IGNOU website carries the names of all programmes on offer by the Community Colleges. This would definitely give you an idea.
… Q: What is the minimum educational qualification and age of formal students in Associate
Degree Programmes?
Ans: 10+2. No age bar.
My thoughts: This seems like a good start with some details yet to be formulated. The community colleges will formalize various trade oriented courses and will allow people doing those courses to do a bit more work towards a Bachelor’s degree. At present, there are only a few of these in Odisha. As the awareness increases, it should pick-up. At present most of the current community colleges seem to be run by private entities (the ATDC ones are exceptions). I hope Odisha starts district community colleges in each of its districts and creates a mechanism so that it is funded by district funds and the locals have a say in what is taught.
June 15th, 2011
