Professor Uma Kanjilal becomes Ignou's first woman Vice Chancellor

The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has appointed Professor Uma Kanjilal as its new Vice Chancellor, making her the first woman to hold the top post since the university’s founding in 1985.

Her appointment marks a significant milestone for IGNOU, one of the largest open universities in the world. Professor Kanjilal has been serving as acting Vice Chancellor since July 25, 2024, and previously held the position of Pro Vice Chancellor from March 2021 to July 2024.

Known for her contributions to digital education, she has played a vital role in enhancing technology-enabled



learning within the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) framework.

With a career spanning over 36 years, Professor Kanjilal has held several key positions within IGNOU. These include Director of the Centre for Online Education, the Inter-University Consortium for Technology-Enabled Flexible Education, and the Advanced Centre for Informatics and Innovative Learning.

A Professor of Library and Information Science since 2003, she has consistently worked to bring innovative digital tools into education. Her initiatives have helped bridge the digital divide and expand access to learning resources across India.