New Delhi: The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has appointed Professor Uma Kanjilal as its Vice Chancellor, marking a significant milestone in the institution's history as she becomes the first woman to assume this position, the University announced in a release on Friday.

Prof. Kanjilal has been serving as the Acting Vice Chancellor since July 25, 2024. With more than 36 years of distinguished service in the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) system, she brings a wealth of academic leadership, expertise in digital innovation, and institutional knowledge to one of the world’s largest open universities.

Before taking on the role of Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Kanjilal served as Pro Vice Chancellor from March 2021 to July 2024. Her extensive tenure at IGNOU has included several pivotal leadership roles such as Director of the Centre for Online Education (2019–2021), Director of the Inter-University Consortium for Technology Enabled Flexible Education (2016–2019), Director of the Advanced Centre for Informatics and Innovative Learning (2012–2013), Director of the School of Social Sciences (2007–2010), and University Librarian (2004–2006).

A Professor of Library and Information Science since 2003, Prof. Kanjilal is nationally recognised for her contributions to e-learning, ICT in libraries, digital libraries, and multimedia courseware development. She currently serves as the National Coordinator for SWAYAM and SWAYAM PRABHA, two flagship digital education initiatives under the Ministry of Education, Government of India.

Her contributions to global academia include a Fulbright Fellowship at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (1999–2000), consultancy for the Commonwealth of Learning, and digital education work for UNRWA in Jordan. She has received several honours, including the Manthan Award for e-Education, an Australia-India Council Grant, and a DANIDA Fellowship.

Prof. Kanjilal has played a crucial role in advancing IGNOU’s digital capabilities and online education framework. She has served as the Principal Investigator of the National Virtual Library of India Project and currently leads the Project Management Unit under NMEICT Phase-III at IGNOU, underscoring her commitment to the digital transformation of education.

Her appointment comes at a pivotal moment, as IGNOU actively implements the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and contributes towards the national vision of Viksit Bharat@2047 by promoting inclusive, flexible, and technology-enabled education.

IGNOU has extended its congratulations to Prof. Uma Kanjilal and expressed confidence in her leadership as she guides the University towards a future defined by academic excellence, digital transformation, and inclusive growth.

 

 

 

ANI inputs