The major challenges that India faces today in educational arena are : (i) the challenge of numbers, (ii) the challenge of credibility, and (iii) the challenge of quality. As regards the ODL programme to provide appropriate responses to these educational challenges, it can be stated that the revolution brought about by the growth of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has greatly facilitated the expansion of Open and Distance Learning (ODL) system and permitted adopting a flexible, learner friendly and multi perspective approach to teaching learning process, much essential for creativity and scholarship leading to total development of human personality to respond appropriately to the current education challenges.
NIOS has been working incessantly for more than 25 years to provide educational opportunities to a varied clientele, particularly the members of less privileged sections like scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, women, girls, differently abled and ex-serivemen etc. It offers Academic and Vocational Education courses at Secondary, Senior Secondary and Elementary Education levels through its 5600 study centres across India. Some study centres of NIOS are in foreign countries also. With more than 27 lakh learners on its roll, NIOS has emerged as the largest open schooling system in the world.
NIOS offers relevant and need based demand driven Vocational Education Courses in various areas such as Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Business and Commerce, Engineering and Technology, Health and Paramedical, Home Science and Hospitality Management, Computer and Information Technology, Security and Industrial Safety and Life Enrichment Programmes at various levels.
NIOS envisages to play a significant role in the skill development initiative of the Government of India. It has collaborated with the National Skill Development Agency (NSDA) as well as with National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to facilitate skill training of Vocational Education learners involving industry partners in various aspects of skill development.
With progressive use of ICT, NIOS has come at a stage where most of the academic and administrative programmes use ICT. These include (i) management of student data base, (ii) student information system, (iii) management of library, (iv) audio, video and multimedia programmes for benefit of student, (v) use of Mobile Technology (M-Support) for dissemination of various information and support services to students, course materials in DAISY format for learners who are visually impaired, and Mukta Vidya Vani, an internet based platform where audio services from NIOS are streamed 24×7.
