Bhubaneswar, June 10 (UNI) The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), New Delhi, will now offer a range of undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma, and certificate programmes in the Odia language in Odisha.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in this regard was signed between the Higher Education Department, government of Odisha, and IGNOU on Monday.

Official sources said that, as per the MoU, IGNOU will provide courses such as Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, postgraduate diplomas, diplomas, certificates, and specialised programmes in Travel and Tourism Management, BBA, MBA, and other courses in the Odia language.

Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj, who attended the signing ceremony, said that with this MoU, students in Odisha can now pursue higher education in Odia.

Suraj emphasised that offering programmes in the mother tongue removes barriers. “Language or medium should no longer be a hindrance in access to higher education,” he added.

The minister further stated that this initiative reinforces the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020’s focus on providing education in regional languages.

The MoU, he said, is expected to foster students’ creativity, reduce dropout rates, and boost the state’s gross enrolment ratio in higher education.

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