The Indira Gandhi National Open University Act, 1985

(1) This Act may be called the Indira Gandhi National OpenUniversity Act, 1985. (2) It shall come into force on such date1as the Central Government may, by notification in theOfficial Gazette, appoint.

In this Act, and the Statutes made hereunder, unless the context otherwiserequires," (a) "Academic Council" means the Academic Council of the University; (b) "Board of Management" means the Board of Management of the University; (c) "Board of Recognition" means the Board of Recognition of the University; (d) "College" means a College or other academic institution established or maintained by, oradmitted to the privileges of, the University; (e) "distance education system" means the system of imparting education through any means ofcommunication, such as broadcasting, telecasting, correspondence courses, seminars, contactprogrammes or the combination of any two or more of such means; (f) "employee" means any person appointed by the University, and includes teachers and otheracademic staff of the University; (g) "Finance Committee" means the Finance Committee of the University; (h) "Governing Body", in relation to a College, means any body (by whatever name called)charged with the management of the affairs of the College and recognised as such by the University; (i) "Planning Board" means the Planning Board of the University; (j) "Regional Centre" means a centre established or maintained by the University for the purposeof co-ordinating and supervising the work of Study Centres in any region and for performing suchother functions as may be conferred on such centre by the Board of Management; (k) "Regulations" means the Regulations made by any authority of the University under this Actfor the time being in force; (l) "School" means a School of Studies of the University; (m) "Statutes" and "Ordinances" mean, respectively, the Statutes and Ordinances of theUniversity for the time being in force; (n) "student" means a student of the University, and includes any person who has enrolledhimself for pursuing any course of study of the University; (o) "Study Centre" means a centre established, maintained or recognised by the University for thepurpose of advising, counselling or for rendering any other assistance required by the students; (p) "teachers" means Professors, Readers, Lecturers and such other persons as may be designatedas such by the Ordinances for imparting instruction in the University or for giving guidance orrendering assistance to students for pursuing any course of study of the University; (q) "University" means the Indira Gandhi National Open University established under this Act; (r) "Vice-Chancellor" and "Pro-Vice-Chancellor" mean, respectively, the Vice-Chancellor and aPro-Vice-Chancellor of the University.

(1) There shall be established a Universityby the name of "the Indira Gandhi National Open University". (2) The headquarters of the University shall be at Delhi and it may establish or maintain Colleges,Regional Centres and Study Centres at such other places in India as it may deem fit. 1[Provided that the University may, with the prior approval of the Visitor, also establish StudyCentres outside India.] (3) The first Vice-Chancellor, the first Pro-Vice-Chancellors and the first members of the Board ofManagement, the Academic Council and the Planning Board and all persons who may hereafter becomesuch officers or members, so long as they continue to hold such office or membership, are herebyconstituted a body corporate by the name of "the Indira Gandhi National Open University". (4) The University shall have perpetual succession and a common seal and shall sue and be sued bythe said name.

The objects of the University shall be to advance and disseminatelearning and knowledge by a diversity of means, including the use of any communication technology, toprovide opportunities for higher education to a larger segment of the population and to promote theeducational well being of the community generally, to encourage the Open University and distanceeducation systems in the educational pattern of the country and to co-ordinate and determine the standardsin such systems, and the University shall, in organising its activities, have due regard to the objectsspecified in the First Schedule.

(1) The University shall have the following powers, namely:-- (i) to provide for instruction in such branches of knowledge, technology, vocations andprofessions as the University may determine from time to time and to make provision for research; (ii) to plan and prescribe courses of study for degrees, diplomas, certificates or for any otherpurpose; (iii) to hold examinations and confer degrees, diplomas, certificates or other academicdistinctions or recognitions on persons who have pursued a course of study or conducted research inthe manner laid down by the Statutes and Ordinances; (iv) to confer honorary degrees or other distinctions in the manner laid down by the Statutes; (v) to determine the manner in which distance education in relation to the academicprogrammes of the University may be organised; (vi) to institute professorships, readerships, lecturerships and other academic positionsnecessary for imparting instruction or for preparing educational material or for conducting otheracademic activities, including guidance, designing and delivery of course and evaluation of thework done by the students, and to appoint persons to such professorships, readerships, lecturershipsand other academic positions; (vii) to co-operate with, and seek the co-operation of, other universities and institutions ofhigher learning, professional bodies and organisations for such purposes as the University considersnecessary; (viii) to institute and award fellowships, scholarships, prizes and such other awards forrecognition of merit as the University may deem fit; (ix) to establish and maintain such Regional Centres as may be determined by the Universityfrom time to time; (x) to establish, maintain or recognise Study Centres in the manner laid down by the Statutes; (xi) to provide for the preparation of instructional materials, including films, cassettes, tapes,video cassettes and other software; (xii) to organise and conduct refresher courses, workshops, seminars and other programmes forteachers, lesson writers, evaluators and other academic staff; (xiii) to recognise examinations of, or periods of study (whether in full or part) at, otheruniversities, institutions or other places of higher learning as equivalent to examinations or periodsof study in the University, and to withdraw such recognition at any time; (xiv) to make provision for research and development in educational technology and relatedmatters; (xv) to create administrative, ministerial and other necessary posts and to make appointmentsthereto; (xvi) to receive benefactions, donations and gifts and to acquire, hold, maintain and dispose ofany property movable or immovable, including trust and Government property, for the purposes ofthe University; (xvii) to borrow, with the approval of the Central Government, whether on the security of theproperty of the University or otherwise, money for the purposes of the University; (xviii) to enter into, carry out, vary or cancel contracts; (xix) to demand and receive such fees and other charges as may be laid down by theOrdinances; (xx) to provide, control and maintain discipline among the students and all categories ofemployees and to lay down the conditions of service of such employees, including their codes ofconduct; (xxi) to recognise any institution of higher learning or studies for such purposes as theUniversity may determine and to withdraw such recognition; (xxii) to appoint, either on contract or otherwise, visiting Professors, Emeritus Professors,Consultants, fellows, scholars, artists, course writers and such other persons who may contribute tothe advancement of the objects of the University; (xxiii) to recognise persons working in other universities, institutions or organisations asteachers of the University on such terms and conditions as may be laid down by the Ordinances; (xxiv) to determine standards and to specify conditions for the admission of students to coursesof study of the University which may include examination, evaluation and any other method oftesting; (xxv) to make arrangements for the promotion of the general health and welfare of theemployees; (xxvi) to confer autonomous status on a College or a Regional Centre in the manner laid downby the Statutes; (xxvii) to admit to its privileges any College in or outside India subject to such conditions asmay be laid down by the Statutes: Provided that no College shall be so admitted except with the prior approval of the Visitor; (xxviii) to do all such acts as may be necessary or incidental to the exercise of all or any of thepowers of the University as are necessary and conducive to the promotion of all or any of theobjects of the University. (2) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, but withoutprejudice to the provisions of sub-section (1), it shall be the duty of the University to take all such steps asit may deem fit for the promotion of the open university and distance education systems and for thedetermination of standards of teaching, evaluation and research in such systems, and for the purpose ofperforming this function, the University shall have such powers, including the power to allocate anddisburse grants to Colleges, whether admitted to its privileges or not, or to any other university orinstitution of higher learning, as may be specified by the Statutes.