Professor Uma Kanjilal has been appointed as the first woman Vice-Chancellor of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) since its establishment in 1985.

With over three decades of experience in open and digital education, her elevation marks a historic moment for one of the world’s largest distance learning universities.

Key Points:

• Prof. Uma Kanjilal is the first woman to be appointed as Vice-Chancellor of IGNOU, 40 years after the university’s founding.
• She had been serving as Acting Vice-Chancellor since July 2024 and was earlier Pro Vice-Chancellor from March 2021.
• She has held several key leadership roles at IGNOU, including Director of the Centre for Online Education and University Librarian.
• As a Professor of Library and Information Science, she also leads India’s major digital education platforms SWAYAM and SWAYAM PRABHA.
• Her global achievements include a Fulbright Fellowship, consultancy roles with Commonwealth of Learning and UN agencies, and multiple awards for innovation in education.