Functions

• To satisfy the learning needs of the students of TNOU.
• To develop policies, systems and procedures in respect of establishment and management of Regional Centres and Learning Centres.
• To organise and administer the State network of Regional Centres and Learning Centres.
• To negotiate with Government departments, educational institutions, other organisations including voluntary organisations for establishment of new Regional Centres and Learning Centres
• To identify and appoint suitable persons as academic counsellors for counselling, and practical sessions and evaluation of assignments.
• To organize orientation programmes for part-time functionaries of Learning Centres.
• To produce manuals for part-time functionaries of Learning Centres.
• To funding and control expenditure of Regional Centres and Learning Centres.

Nature of work

1.Pre-enrollment counselling (information/advice/guidance): This involves

(a) information gathering from various Schools/Divisions/Centres
(b) creation of databases – Programme/Course-wise, Centre-wise, etc.
(c) compilation of FAQs
(d) installation of a computer for students to look for the required information
(e) arranging/threading of information in a learner-friendly manner
 

A helpdesk is being created for the purpose.

 2.Post-admission

• Counsellor-specific: This includes renewal of contracts, appointment of counsellors, orientation programmes, production of working manuals, attending to the queries of counsellors, etc.
• Centre-specific: This includes establishment of Centres, contract renewal, equipping the Centres, budget allocation/replenishment, facilitating reimbursement of costs, etc.
• Quality assurance: This includes making arrangements to monitor the quality of counselling sessions, the turn around time for assignment-responses and the quality of the comments on the assignment-responses, the quality of the teaching/learning process (i.e., how far counseling sessions help facilitate learning? do they have any impact on learners vis-à-vis the opportunity costs, institutional costs?, etc., what is student/counsellor/ coordinator perception?) Action/systemic research initiatives will be part of the quality assurance process.
• Orientation programmes: This includes the conduct of training workshops for counsellors and coordinators of Centres, involving periodic monitoring of the work and incorporating the feedback into the training, venue identification, fixing mutually convenient dates, rationalizing the costs of training, preparation of content and schedules, dissemination of information about the training well in advance to all those concerned, etc., identification of resource persons, etc.
• Selection criteria : This includes preparation of criteria for the selection of counsellors and/or Centres, involving the academic Schools of the University (and any other agencies) concerned in the process of selection, etc.
• Learner-specific : This entails addressing to the concerns of the learners working in tandem with the Schools/Divisions and/or agencies concerned, preparing student handbooks, student/course manuals, etc. and updating the learner profile data and making it current at all times.

3.Pre-/post-certification

Working with SR&E Division/Centres, this Division looks into disparities, if any, in continuous assessment grades, facilitates finalization of examination schedules, assists in the generation of student data for purposes of convocation, etc., facilitates the issuance/award of certificates and looks into supplementary issues (relating to awards of grades/certificates, etc.

Staff

Professor K. Murugan          B.A., M.A., PG Dip. in TESL, M. Litt., Ph.D.        Director  i/c        Profile
Dr. R. Thangaraj          M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D.         Deputy Director         Profile