IGNOU (Indira Gandhi National Open University) has joined hands with technology firm Srei Sahaj e-Village, to make the rural youth computer literate.

As of now, total five courses are available, which are diploma in advanced computers, certificate program in HTML, certificate program in JAVA SCRIPT, certificate program in SQL and certificate program in FLASH, and the eligibility criteria for these programs is matriculation.

These programs will be accredited to IGNOU for its use and Sahaj will administer the programs, i.e. the enrollments, registration, fee collection, evaluation and the certification will be given by IGNOU.

IGNOU has promised to make this on-line skill education available at 27,255 common service centers already existing in states of Assam, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, by the end of 2010.

According to IGNOU Vice-Chancellor VN Rajasekharan Pillai “This is the first time in the country that online education through distance mode will reach the remotest corners of the country, empowering the rural poor. The IGNOU-Sahaj partnership will help bridge the educational divide within the rural landscape and make advanced computer education available to the villagers at their doorsteps.”

The idea of educating rural youth and making them computer literate (rather literate enough to make them an efficient computer professional) is definitely a great initiative.

Let us wish IGNOU all the best!! For this great initiative.

Read more here on the official IGNOU website