Under the Open and Distance Learning System, learner support is
of paramount importance. The student Support Services (SSS)
Department is responsible for providing support to learners in
their learning and related issues. The main functions of the
Student Support Services (SSS) Department of NIOS are as
follows:
- Formulation of policy and planning related to student
enrollment and registration
- Advocacy and publicity of NIOS programmes
- Identification and establishment of study centres for
accreditation from amongst recognized and reputed academic
institutions all over the country, thereby building a network of
Accredited Institutions (AIs), Accredited Vocational Institutions
(AVIs) and Accredited Agencies (AAs)
- Enrolment and registration of secondary and senior secondary
learners of NIOS
- Monitoring of the functioning of study centres and conduct of
Personal Contact Programmes
- Development of policy for continuous assessment of the learners
through Tutor Marked Assignments (TMA)
- Coordination with the Regional Centres for timely and effective
support to the learners.
- Redressal of the problems and grievances of the learners
Introduction
Under the Open and Distance Learning System, learner support is
of paramount importance. Such support is provided through various
services to:
- Help learners to learn well by providing timely and proper
academic support
- Facilitate learners in solving their problems through the study
centres/learning centres
- Co-ordinate and monitor establishment, working and management
of the study centres.
Functions
The main functions of the Student Support Services (SSS)
Department of NIOS are as follows:
- Formulation of policy and planning related to student
enrollment and registration
- Advocacy and publicity of NIOS programmes
- Identification and establishment of study centres for
accreditation from amongst recognized and reputed academic
institutions all over the country, thereby building a network of
Accredited Institutions (AIs)
- Enrolment and registration of secondary and senior secondary
learners of NIOS
- Monitoring of the functioning of study centres and conduct of
personal contact programmes
- Development of policy for continuous assessment of the learners
through Tutor Marked Assignments (TMA)
- Coordination with the Regional Centres for timely and effective
support to the learners.
- Redressal of the problems and grievances of the learners
Accreditation of Institutions
NIOS as an open and distance learning institute provides planned
human support in different ways from the time a learner joins the
system till the end of his/ her successful completion. To provide
this support along with the issue of easy access, NIOS considered
utilization of existing available resources to provideservices by
accrediting institutions as partners. Such partner institutions are
called Accredited Institutions (AIs) and are spread all over the
country. These AIs which function as Study Centres are usually
formal schools that are recognized and affiliated to CBSE, ICSCE
and State Broads or reputed agencies involved in social and
educational activities of disadvantaged and differently abled
learners. The AIs assist NIOS in its various functions to reach out
and to reach all. Based on available infrastructure facilities and
nature of the existing institutions, the AIs for Academic courses
are categorized into three categories.
- Category-A: having very good infrastructure
and can enroll upto 500 students.
- Category-B: AIs can enroll upto 300
students.
- Category-C: AIs are allowed toenroll only upto
150 students.
NIOS has Accredited Institutions for Regional mediums also like
Marathi, Telugu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Oriya and Urdu. The types of
Schools/Institutions that have become partners to function as AIs
of NIOS include Government Schools, Government Aided Schools,
Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas, Public and Private
Schools and Schools for children with special needs.
Accreditation of the Study Centres is done through rigorous
process of screening of applications on the basis of prescribed
criteria and inspection of the institutions by teams of Experts.
The Principal/Vice- Principal of the School acts as the Coordinator
of the AI functioning as the Study Centre of NIOS. The core staff
and teachers of the AIs work for NIOS programmes at the Study
Centres in addition to their normal duties there.
Personal Contact Programme
NIOS students study at their own using self instructional
material. However, while learning they do confront certain problems
and need various types of help and guidance. For clarification of
their doubts, NIOS conducts 30 Personal Contact Programme (PCPs)
for theory subjects out of which 15 are compulsory. Five additional
PCPs are allotted for subjects having practicals. These are
conducted at the Study Centre on Saturdays, Sundays/other holidays
or at any convenient time during weekdays.