Higher Education Minister Pradeep Panigrahi on Monday launched a website of the Odisha State Open University at a function organised at the regional office of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) here.
Panigrahi said dropout rural poor students, women, persons with disabilities and SC and ST students would get educational benefit from the Open University. It would reach remote areas of the State, he added.
Presently the university would function from the Gangadhar Meher University’s (GMU) campus at Sambalpur. GMU’s Examination Controller would continue as Registrar of the Open University. It would help the students who want to get education through distance mode, said the Minister.
Among others, Open University’s Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Dr Srikant Mohapatra, IGNOU Regional Director Dr Abhilash Nayak, Utkal University Vice Chancellor Prof Ashok Das, GMU OSD Prof SS Rath and Government officials were present in the function.
Notably, the first Open University of the State was established at Sambalpur after the State Cabinet approved the proposal on January 31 this year.