Sunday, March 26 2006 10:22 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Students in Afghanistan can now pursue courses offered by the Indira Gandhi National Open University, with the educational institution all set to introduce its teaching programmes in that country this year.

"We have entered into collaboration with Afghanistan University of Management Sciences (AUMS), a private university there. We will conduct admission of students from this July session," Pankaj Khare, Deputy Director, International Division of IGNOU, told sources.

He said students in Afghanistan have very limited opportunity for higher studies as there is hardly any state-funded university and a few private universities control the higher education sector there.

"The students in Afghanistan are very keen to get degrees from Indian universities," he said.

"AUMS had requested us to offer courses there because IGNOU charges a very nominal fee and has a very flexible academic schedule," Khare said.

The varsity's decision to offer courses in Afghanistan has the approval of Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The Ministry gave the go-ahead after conducting an inspection of the physical infrastructure of AUMS, he said.

"The MEA conducted the inspection through its office in Afghanistan and then allowed us to enter into the collaboration," he said.

To start with, IGNOU would offer MBA, Bachelor Degree in subjects like Library Science, Tourism Studies and Commerce and Masters Degree in English, Hindi, History, Political Science and Commerce.