National Students Welfare Association (NSWA) is a registered Educational Society under the Government of Jammu and Kashmir in Bhalessa area of Doda. IGNOU’s special study centre, 1264, has emerged as the premier centre focusing on the education of rural youth of this militancy infested area by adopting a slogan of “Quality Learning Landscape” The Managing Director of NSWA Education Initiative is Sadaket Malik, who is also the Coordinator of the special study centre. IGNOU Special Study centre Bhalessa was setup in 1996 by a group of people, who met to think of the hope of education to rekindle the area with higher learning.
Presently the centre has entered into a consensus with local schools and colleges for collaborative exercise in terms of conduct of Term End Examination (TEE) and public mobalisation. The NGO has made every possible effort to provide quality access to higher learning especially for those who had missed the bus. The centre is all set to activiate new programmes leading to professional development of the student force.
Sadaket Malik, who is adventurous to take up the task for the benefit of the people has been appreiciated by the people in all walks of life. The centre has adopted three pronged strategy Viz, Effective Classroom, Effective Examination and Efficient student support services. Majority of the people who appreciated the role of IGNOU Bhalessa centre for effeicient examination which include Professor Lokesh Verma Head, Department of Education Jammu University, Prof. V K Kapoor, Sh. Thakur Prem Singh Principal Government Higher Secondary school Kilhotran Bhalessa, The centre has been galvanized by the local administration, NGOs, Intellectuals, scholars also.
However, the centre is getting 40 percent share from the fee and manages all the affairs of the centre include Rent, honorarium, and other expenses. Sadaket Malik added.
He said that, students adopting IGNOU, means thet their skill is being honed. He said that IGNOU is not only ideal for those who had missed the bus but comfortable for those who wish to ride multiple buses simultaneously.
He added that owing to the diversified delivery system in IGNOU, the university cater to the needs of majority of students residing in these rural places. Malik said that, students studying in ignou should borne in mind the important dates, and asked them to get details from their office for the efficient and effective study in our centre.
The study centre is also in the process of finalizing agreements with an institute in Europe “ named “European Institute of Local Development” .
The study centre has started a written examination with an I.Q. test before the intake of the learners. It helps the centre to measure up their strengths and weaknesses. Once the learner’s weaknesses are identified, the counsellors work towards eradicating them.
Imparts the course through lectures, discussions, case studies, laboratory exercises, relevant film shows and factory visits. The learners are also required to carry out two projects during the course of the programme to successfully complete Diploma and PG Diploma course.
The centre has a separate cell to attend the requirements and needs of the learners. The problems, if any, are analysed by this special cell and thus, they provide solutions to the learners at the earliest.
Mr. Malik regards ICTs in education as the next best step to help learners understand and grasp the subject. At the study centre, conventional methods are avoided. He emphasized that the practical exposure and demonstrations by ICTs are being used at the centre, for this purpose the Regional Centre Jammu has supplied necessary equipments for electronic learning.
Mr. Malik who spoke highly about the use of ICT was, in fact, unaware of the eGyankosh, which is a national digital repository of the digital learning resources developed by the ODL institutions in the country? To a great extent, this unawareness shows how the area is detached from the new innovative options that are introduced and delivered by IGNOU. An awareness day is celebrated for this purpose by this centre which is to be attended by the student learners.