JEDDAH — Educational Consulting & Guidance Services (ECGS) — Overseas Study Center, which provides services for Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), welcomed the appointment of Prof. Nageshwar Rao as the Vice Chancellor of IGNOU, the largest Open University in the world.

ECGS has been serving students mainly of Indian community for last 13 years with centers in Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam.

Indian students pursuing their education through Open and Distance Learning here will benefit from the wealth of experience which Professor Rao brings to IGNOU, which has fulfilled its pledge to reach those in need of education through the distance mode system.

Professor Rao was vice chancellor of Uttarakhand Open University (UOU) prior to this appointment. He was acting VC of IGNOU earlier from Nov. 28-April 28 2016 and was also Pro Vice Chancellor, IGNOU, New Delhi, from December 2013 to November 2014.

On his joining as VC of IGNOU, Professor Rao said “It is like home-coming for him as he has been part of the university as acting VC and as Pro-VC earlier.”

He further added that the open education presents a great opportunity for a country like India, which has a very diverse and young human resource to harness the demographic dividend.

He also said that he would focus on the quality of distance education and integration of technology with education support service.

He is also the chairman of the National Task Force, committee constituted to assess and accredit open universities under NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council). He is the Honorary Vice-Chairman. Rashtriya Uchhatar Shiksha Ayog (RUSA), Madhya Pradesh since November 2014.

Professor Rao received his D.Phil from University of Allahabad and ICWA from Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of India, Kolkata. He has written eight books; popular amongst these are ‘Administration on Public Enterprises in India’ and ‘Communication Skills’.

Thirty-nine students have been awarded Ph.D. in management under his supervision. To his credit, more than 170 Research Papers and articles were published. He has been invited as Resource person in around 25 EDPs (Executive Development Programs) for Railways, NTPC, and National Fertilizers etc. — SG