Siliguri, March 10: Indira Gandhi National Open University (Ignou) is planning to start a certificate course on sericulture for students of north Bengal, keeping local needs in mind.

Pro-vice-chancellor of Ignou D.K. Choudhur told a news conference here today that a 52-hour programme for skill and personality development would also start in Siliguri, which was recently upgraded to a regional centre.

According to Choudhury, with diversification in career options, more and more students are opting for non-traditional and need-based courses on the distance education mode. “Over the years, we have seen a rapid rise in the number of students enrolling for courses which are new in concept and offer a variety of career options.”

Ignou offers courses like advanced certificate in power distribution management and certificate courses in disaster management, environmental studies, food and nutrition, human rights, nutrition and childcare, consumer protection, rural development and food safety among others.

“In north Bengal, where we have 17 learning centres, courses like disaster management and tourism studies are extremely popular,” said Choudhury. “We have a sizeable number of students who are employed. Professionals are keen to take up the courses which are related to their careers and help them achieve an extra edge,” he pointed out.

Ignou will also offer a certificate online course on Nazrul Geeti vocal music and sports medicine, the pro-VC said. On the growing popularity of long-distance courses, Choudhury said: “When we started offering distance education in 1987, we had only 4,000 students. Now, we have 15 lakh students from 1,800 study centres all over the world.”