IGNOU launches diploma in Business Process Outsourcing

New Delhi: The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) in association with Accenture, a management consulting technology services outsourcing company, has launched a six month diploma course in Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) in Finance and Accountancy Outsourcing (FAO).

V. N. Rajasekharan Pillai, Vice-Chancellor of IGNOU said, "This programme has been launched to cater the needs of undergraduate and graduate students from tier 1 to tier 4 cities across the country and will be available to million-odd students."

"Course content has been designed with the help of the expertise of Accenture. In the first phase, course content will be delivered to train teachers at 43 programme centres across the country," added Pillai.

The programme will focus on building FAO skills in the students with 10+2 or bachelor's degree and above qualifications. Students need to have minimum 50 percent marks with English as a compulsory subject in their respective programmes.

Interested candidates will have to qualify a written test in English and Quantitative Ability conducted between February 7 and February 15 across the 18 centres.

Application forms for the same can be obtained from IGNOU study centres or downloaded from www.ignou.ac.in.

ISRO may allow school students to use its laboratories soon

Chennai: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) may soon allow school students to use its laboratories to carry out project work.

This was informed by Mayilsamy Annadurai, Project Director of Chandrayaan-I.

Annadurai said, "The growing interest among school children on space research after the success of Chandrayaan-I will give an impetus to space research in future."

"Now, around 200 graduate and postgraduate students are allowed to use ISRO lab to carry out their project work," added Annadurai.

Interacting with students Dr. Annadurai answered queries raised by students.

"As the success of Indian space research has come at a time of the slump in the IT industry, many bright young minds in the country will start to think of a career in space research," he added.

Dr. Annadurai also said that the country could achieve the long term goals of space research in a short span of time if more school students came forward to contribute to research in the field.

He mentioned the importance of tapping the potential of the moon in meeting the energy needs of the country.