Prof Uma Kanjilal appointed IGNOU’s first woman VC in over 40 years

In a landmark development, Professor Uma Kanjilal has been named the first woman vice chancellor of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), four decades after its establishment.

Her appointment was confirmed by officials from the Ministry of Education.

"With over 36 years of distinguished service in the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) system, Kanjilal brings a wealth of academic leadership, digital innovation, and institutional knowledge to the helm of one of the world's largest open universities," an official said.

She had been serving as the acting vice chancellor and previously held the post of pro vice chancellor from March 2021 to July 2024.

A professor of library and information science since 2003, Kanjilal is widely known for her contributions to e-learning, digital libraries, and ICT applications in education.

She is also the National Coordinator for SWAYAM and SWAYAM PRABHA, the Ministry of Education’s flagship online education platforms.

At IGNOU, she has held several key leadership positions over the years. She was Director of the Centre for Online Education from 2019 to 2021.

She served as Director of the Inter-University Consortium for Technology Enabled Flexible Education from 2016 to 2019.

From 2012 to 2013, she headed the Advanced Centre for Informatics and Innovative Learning.

She was Director of the School of Social Sciences between 2007 and 2010. Earlier, she served as university librarian from 2004 to 2006.