Jammu, May 1 —An induction program was organized for students recently admitted into the Masters in Psychology (MA Psychology) course of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). The program was conducted at the IGNOU Programme Study Centre housed in the Department of Psychology, University of Jammu.
Close to 60 students in attendance face-to-face, thus creating a channel of dialogue between the students and teachers. This is treated as an important initiative for students under the open and distance learning system run by IGNOU, especially for students who are studying psychology at postgraduate level for the first time.
The only support centre in the Jammu region
It is important to know that this Programme Study Centre is the only Learner Support Centre for the Masters in Psychology course in the Jammu region. A total of 120 MA Psychology students have joined this centre under the January 2025 session. Many of these students are from rural or semi-urban areas, who want to pursue higher education from a flexible learning model like IGNOU.
Arrived experts to guide the students
The induction program stood out for the presence of experts. Dr. Sandeep Gupta, Regional Director, IGNOU Regional Centre Jammu (RCJ) was the keynote speaker at this program. Accompanying him were Dr. Asha Upadhyay and Dr. Zeba, Assistant Regional Directors.
Dr. Sandeep Gupta informed the students in detail about the academic activities to be undertaken during the two-year postgraduate program. He clarified that this course entails not only book-based study but also includes practical aspects like fieldwork, practical file, project report, and internship report, which would train the students to become a better professional in future.
Open dialogue and solution
There was also an interactive session held on this occasion in which the students sought clarity on many of their doubts and problems. Many students raised queries concerning assignment submission, practical instruction, and examination-related issues. Every question was tackled by the experts with utmost simplicity, clarity, and sense, which brought relief to the students and injected confidence in them.
Important information regarding assignments and examinations
During the program, Dr. Sandeep Gupta made an important announcement that the University has extended the last date for submission of assignments, field work, project reports, practical files and internship reports for June 2025 term end examination to 31 May 2025.
He also informed that the last date for submission of online examination forms has been fixed as 4 May 2025 with late fee (Rs 1100). No extension will be given after this, and offline forms will not be accepted from this time, as the University is now operating completely through the SAMARTH portal.
Presence of Program In-charge
The induction program was hosted and conducted by Dr. Sarita Sood, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Jammu and Program In-charge of IGNOU Study Centre. She gave detailed information to the students about the course structure, evaluation process and availability of study material.
He said that in a course like MA Psychology, students have to develop not only bookish knowledge but also social, emotional and moral understanding, and the endeavour of this centre will be to provide the best guidance to the students in this direction.
Why is this induction programme necessary?
In today’s education, just completing the syllabus is not enough. A strong start and clear guidance makes the students not only academically better but also mentally prepared. In such a situation, this induction programme organised by IGNOU is a meaningful effort to prepare the students for the journey of the coming two years.
Future direction
Psychology is a field which is becoming relevant in every field nowadays—be it education, health, human resources or social development. The quality and flexible education system being provided by IGNOU is proving to be a boon for those students who cannot attend regular classes for some reason.
Conclusion
This induction program of IGNOU not only prepares the students mentally but also provides them a platform where they can ask their questions, share problems and learn from each other. This effort in Jammu region is also special because there was a lack of support center for this subject here, which has now been fulfilled by this center.
If you too want to make a career in the field of psychology, then IGNOU’s MA in Psychology program can be a great option for you—convenient, flexible and completely tailored to the needs of the students.
