INTRODUCTION
 

The National Open School (NOS) was established in November, 1989, as an autonomous organisation in pursuance of the National Policy on Education, 1986 by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. The Open School of the Central Board of Secondary Education established in July, 1978 was subsumed in the NOS.

NOS occupies an important place in the national system of education and it has its own distinct character.

The main objectives of NOS are:

i) to provide opportunities for continuing and developmental education at the school stage;

ii) to provide consultancy services to the Government of India and states;

iii) to serve as an agency for effective dissemination of information related to distance education and open learning;

iv) to identify and promote standards of learning in distance education system and state open schools; and

v) to exercise normative and coordinating functions while promoting standards in distance and open learning system in the country.

The mission of NOS is universalisation of education, enhancing social equity and justice and creating a learning society.

The marginalised groups, namely, rural youth, girls and women, scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, handicapped ex-servicemen are priorities for NOS.

NOS was vested in October, 1990 with the authority to examine and certify students registered with it upto pre-degree level courses. The NOS conducted its first Secondary and Senior Secondary Examinations in Junuary, 1991.

Certificates issued by NOS stand recognised by the Association of Indian Universities and University Grants Commission, increasing number of universities and institutes of higher learning; Boards of Education, and also by the Ministry of Human Resource Development and Ministry of Labour for employment.

NOS offers academic, vocational and life enrichment courses. The academic courses offered included Bridge, Secondary and Senior Secondary Courses.

In academic courses, students have the freedom to choose the set of subjects according to their needs, interests and abilities. The only compulsion is to choose one of the two languages offered, namely, Hindi or English. Students are also encouraged to choose vocational subjects in combination with academic subjects, something unique - recognising value of work and skill at par with theoritical education.

The NOS network of study centres consists of accredited institutions (AIs) for academic courses and accredited vocational institutions (AVIs) for vocational courses located all over the country.

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