Distance Education today is a burgeoning, cornucopia, a magna carta of multifid academic potentials. Today, under the able leadership of the Distance Education Council and the Government of West Bengal, we are poised on the fast track to progress and success.

The objective of our dedicated team at Netaji Subhas Open University is to hone this University as a unique Open Learning Institution. For the financial year 2002-2003 Netaji Subhas Open University has had the honour of being one of the largest recipients of funds from the Distance Education Council. Since then the University has been assiduously striving towards the attainment of its vision. Of late, there has also been an ostensible escalation in new admissions and revenues, which I believe is a reflection of a renewed interest of the student community in the state in the ever-expanding horizons of Distance Education at large.

The University is now developing a 15-acre plot of land adjacent to Kalyani University for an integrated Campus outside the city. Our School of Digital Learning at Golpark, Kolkata, is engaged in developing advance software. The University has leased the erstwhile BBC studio in Kolkata to develop it into a production unit of study materials in audio-video mode. The Institute of English, Kolkata (a Government sponsored Institute) is also collaborating with NSOU.

This year we opened 10 additional Study Centres in addition to 36 existent in different parts of West Bengal. The University has been facing a huge past backlog in publication of study materials, which is our major concern at the moment. We hope to complete the publication of study materials within the current financial year.

We have drawn up an academic programme for NSOU during the 10th Plan period encompassing agenda like the introduction of one-year PG diploma courses in Mass Communication and Journalism, Human Rights, Rural Reporting, Legal Reporting, Rural Administration, Tourism and Travel Management, Interior Designing and Construction and industrial development in collaboration with Bengal National Chamber of Commerce and Industry. We also propose to introduce Post-graduate courses from early 2003. Preparation of curricula for seven subjects is underway. We have drawn up an academic programme for NSOU during the 10th Plan period encompassing agenda like the introduction of one-year PG diploma courses in Mass Communication and Journalism, Human Rights, Rural Reporting, Legal Reporting, Rural Administration, Tourism and Travel Management, Interior Designing and Construction and industrial development in collaboration with Bengal National Chamber of Commerce and Industry. We also propose to introduce Post-graduate courses from early 2003. Preparation of curricula for seven subjects is underway.

The University is also making its presence felt in the Association of Indian Universities and functional organizations like The Commonwealth of Learning, National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration, West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation and Bengal National Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The American Centre Kolkata, the British Council and the Korean Culture Studies Centre have also expressed active interest in our activities for future collaborative programmes. We sincerely hope that this University will soon become one of the premier Open Universities in the country.