New Delhi, Dec 20 (IANS) The Indian Air Force (IAF) Monday signed an agreement with the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) for a project to enable around 100,000 serving airmen to complete the bachelor’s degree in any stream, including arts, science, business and music.
According to the IGNOU-IAF project, called Akashdeep, the existing airmen training institutes will be registered as community colleges and personnel would be able to obtain a bachelor’s degree within 8-13 years of their service, an IAF spokesperson said.
This ‘addresses the professional certification needs of higher learning of IAF personnel below officers rank’.
The accord was signed by Air Officer-In-Charge Personnel Air Marshal K.J. Mathews and IGNOU Vice Chancellor V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai here. Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik, senior IAF and IGNOU officials were also present.
As per the agreement, two modules of the Joint Basic Phase Training will enable airmen to earn credit points that would be transferred to IGNOU for completing their certificates, diplomas and associate degrees in arts, science, commerce, business administration, hotel management, hospitality services, medical services, para-medical sciences, office management, automobile trade performing skill, music and instrument music.
‘Subsequent to this, an airman can enroll for a one-year distance learning programme with IGNOU leading to award of bachelor’s degree,’ the IAF spokesperson said.
The launch of the project will immediately benefit nearly 100,000 IAF personnel who will, on completion of the syllabus, receive a degree from the university that has the potential to transform their post-retirement life besides helping them prepare for competitive jobs, he said.
‘Better qualified human resource will help the IAF in gainful utilisation of its resources. The programme, while validating IAF training curriculum is also one among the several welfare measures for its personnel. Project Akashdeep also signifies the IAF’s association with the sky and its quest for knowledge.’
