Silchar, Dec. 9: The Indira Gandhi National Open University (Ignou) has decided to set up two more international centres in Dhaka and Yangon by 2004 as part of its expansion programme.

The Aizawl regional centre of Ignou will be entrusted with the task of setting up the twin centres and oversee their academic progress. Ignou, which offers several interactive teaching programmes through the Internet, has a network of 28 study centres in the country and 17 abroad.

Sujit Kumar Ghosh, regional director of the Aizawl centre, today said his unit would take in 489 freshers to study 16 disciplines, including graduate degrees in computer application and tourism studies for the next academic session. Altogether 360 students have enrolled at the centre this year. There are 14 study centres, four special study centres and two programme study centres under Ignou, Aizawl. Ghosh told The Telegraph that a three-year BSc course in nursing would be introduced in Mizoram in 2004.

The regional director added that the Aizawl centre, which had launched the literacy course for the state’s bureaucrats and teachers by arranging one computer for every 25 trainees, is also contemplating introducing a diploma course in primary education for teachers in Mizoram.