In a historic milestone nearly four decades after its establishment, the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has named Professor Uma Kanjilal as its first-ever woman Vice‑Chancellor.
Having served as Acting Vice‑Chancellor since July 25, 2024, Prof Kanjilal brings over 36 years of dedicated experience in open and distance learning (ODL) to the helm of one of the world’s largest educational institutions.
Before assuming her current role, she was Pro Vice‑Chancellor from March 2021 to July 2024. Her long and distinguished tenure at IGNOU includes leadership of several critical academic entities:
Director, Centre for Online Education (2019–2021)
Director, Inter-University Consortium for Technology‑Enabled Flexible Education
(2016–2019)
Director, Advanced Centre for Informatics and Innovative Learning (2012- 2013)
Director, School of Social Sciences (2007- 2010)
University Librarian (2004- 2006)
A Professor of Library & Information Science since 2003, Prof Kanjilal is widely recognized for her contributions to e-learning, ICT applications in libraries, digital libraries, and multimedia courseware development.
Prof Kanjilal’s influence extends well beyond administrative leadership. She currently serves as the National Coordinator for SWAYAM and SWAYAM Prabha, flagship initiatives under the Ministry of Education that provide MOOCs and educational television programming across India.
She led the National Virtual Library of India project as principal investigator and now heads IGNOU’s Project Management Unit under NMEICT Phase‑III, playing a key role in advancing digital infrastructure and educational access across India.
Her international credentials include a Fulbright Fellowship at the University of Illinois (1999- 2000), consultancy with the Commonwealth of Learning, and digital education work with UNRWA in Jordan. She has received awards such as the Manthan Award for e‑Education, an Australia‑India Council Grant, and a DANIDA Fellowship.
Her appointment represents a breakthrough for IGNOU, which has played a pivotal role in democratizing education in India through its expansive network over 3 million students, 333 academic programs, and 67 regional centres. Under Prof Kanjilal’s leadership, the university is expected to accelerate its digital transformation in alignment with the National Education Policy 2020 and the national vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047.
Quoting an official, her selection underscores a future shaped by academic innovation, digital empowerment and inclusive education at a time when learning is increasingly technology-driven.
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