Parliament Question: Flexible education in remote districts of Odisha

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 504 ANSWERED ON 04.02.2026 Flexible education in remote districts of Odisha 504. Smt. Sulata Deo: Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state: (a) whether the Ministry plans to support Odisha in establishing a Regional Centre for Open and Distance Learning for flexible education in remote districts; and (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR) (a) & (b) Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) is the only Central Open University and is providing access to higher education through the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) mode with pan-India outreach. Overall in IGNOU there are seventy (70) Regional Centres, out of which in the State of Odisha, IGNOU operates through four (04) Regional Centres, namely Bhubaneswar, Koraput, Angul and Rairangpur. Further, IGNOU has established a network of Learner Support Centres (LSCs), largely located in recognized Higher Educational Institutions to facilitate programme delivery across the State including in Aspirational Districts identified by the Government of India. Academic programmes are offered through this network in accordance with the University’s approved norms. *****