IGNOU to set up 500 Community colleges across India by 2011

kochi: the indira gandhi national open university will be setting up 500 community colleges across the country by the 11th plan end in 2011, of which 100 have been sanctioned. the aim is to set up such such community colleges in every panchayat, ignou vice chancellor dr v n rajasekharan pillai, said. agriculture, fire and safety, food processing are some areas the community colleges are being set up. ignou had received 890 applications from across the country for setting up community colleges and about 100 institutions, including about 10 from kerala, have been given sanction to start the same. fact, rajagiri management, and dr m s swaminathan foundation are among those who will be setting up community colleges in kerala. earlier, in his inaugural address at the royal community college, the country's first such college, which offers courses in hotel management and tourism in its two campuses at kochi and munnar,he said this was a new initiative of ignou. us and uk community colleges offer education in a very  flexible way. in us, intake of students in community colleges was 15 times more than the regular colleges, he said adding their budget was also much higher than their conventional counterparts. ignou does not offer any money to the institutions. the content, examination pattern, and fees is decided jointly by the college and ignou. there would be a regulatory body within the college board and an accademic committee, pillai said. the response to the community colleges has been 'overwhelming' from diferent organisations with even big corporates and construction companies evincing interest, he said. madhya pradesh government department wanted 47 colleges to be brought under the community college. an accreditation process on the lines of global accreditation pattern was also in place, he said. there are also plans to provide international linkages to successful colleges. dr latha pillai, pro vice chancellor of ignou said 'ths is an attempt to bridge the skill gap.' tissan j thachankary, chairman royal community college, said every year 1000 hotels rooms are being added to the inventory in kerala for which at least 10,000 people are needed. the royal community college at munnar has been set up in a 100 acre area complete with a helipad. aicte approval has already been received, he said. students after completing their 10th standard can join for two year associate degree course and after completing it they can either exit or join the second year for degree programme, he said.