Women empowerment through professional and technical programmes: A case study of IGNOU

Abstract

The aim of the present paper was to analyse the role of the open and distance learning (ODL) system in women empowerment. This study examined the post-certification achievement of the female learners - from both individual and social perspectives. The learners from the professional MBA programme and from the technical MCA programme were sampled to analyse the changes in the achieved social and academic aspects of female learners at IGNOU. The findings of the study are based on surveys and interviews with 308 respondents (38% of the total numbers involved), and the findings demonstrated that the IGNOU ODL system has indeed - though in different ways - benefited these women who have engaged and completed the MBA or the MCA programme at IGNOU. © ASODE 2007.