IGNOU

Indira Gandhi National Open University(IGNOU) इंदिरा गांधी राष्ट्रीय मुक्त विश्वविद्यालय (इग्नू)

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The School of Foreign Languages is one of the 21 Schools of Studies at IGNOU, established in 2007, with an aim to:

Offer innovative, flexible and cost-effective foreign language programme for learners from all sections of the society.
Offer programmes based on the specific needs of the learner to create pool of specialized foreign language experts.
Promote communication across borders and countries.

In view of the existing demand due to its multiple practical applications, the study of foreign languages is gaining lots of importance in the academic studies, and the demand is growing continuously. The School works in collaboration with other Schools of the University to develop human resources for a number of sectors, like science, technology, humanities, social sciences and commerce.

The globalization of business has led to the demand of specialized foreign language experts. The expertise in foreign languages can be value addition for professionals of different sectors. The School also offers programmes specific to the requirements of organizations like the Indian Army, Navy and Air force.

The School of Foreign Languages (SOFL) is one of the 21 Schools of the Indira Gandhi National Open University. The School has designed and developed various programmes in Open and Distance Learning (ODL) and in Online Learning Mode.

The School of Foreign Languages is one of the 21 Schools of Studies at IGNOU, established in 2007.

The School of Foreign Languages is one of the first in India to offer full fledged academic programmes in various Foreign Languages in the Open and Distance mode. Established in the year 2007, it is one among the eleven new schools of study that were introduced IGNOU aiming at diversification and introduction of new domains of study and research providing access to knowledge creation in foreign language studies.
The School has pioneered courses from Elementary level courses upto Doctoral degree programmes. Presently the School of Foreign Languages offers programmes in nine–09 foreign languages including Arabic, French, Russian, Spanish. German, Persian, Mandarin, Japanese and Korean.
Meticulously designed and in sync with the spirit of NEP 2020, all programmes at the SOFL have initiated a brand new phase in the domain of Foreign Language pedagogy that recognizes it as a vital skill component and contributes extensively upskilling the new age learner and prepares for global employability. Our frequent seminars, workshops and conferences with international organizations and embassies have helped us to build and sustain global quality standards in teaching and research.
Masters programmes in major foreign languages offered in the ODL mode have found huge acceptance among professionals who can now fulfill their dreams of completing Advanced degrees along with their professional commitments. Along with the very successful Research degree programme – Ph.D in French & Arabic, the School has contributed to vital knowledge creation in alternative pedagogies of Foreign languages apart from many other subjects of contemporary relevance and interest.
Through its Online programmes as also a robust presence on SWAYAM-IGNOU MOOCs portal of the Ministry of Education, SOFL has reached out to learners even in the Virtual model. Recognizing the need for teacher training programmes, the School offers also a Diploma in Teacher Training for German language professionals.
SOFL has evolved today into a major Centre for the study and research in Foreign languages and has established itself as an important participant in generating employability as well as advanced studies in the domain.

Best wishes to SOFL

Prof. Deepanwita Srivastava

Director, SOFL

School of Foreign Languages
IGNOU

Email: sofl@ignou.ac.in
Phone: 01129571631

SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS

Sl. No.	Name
1.	Prof. Deepanwita Srivastava, Director, SOFL	Internal SB Members
2.	Prof. Mohd. Saleem Faculty, SOFL	Internal SB Members
3.	Mr. Vikash Kumar Singh Faculty, SOFL	Internal SB Members
4.	Mr. Shivaji Bhaskar Faculty, SOFL	Internal SB Members
5.	Prof. Jaideep Sharma SOSS	Internal SB Members
6.	Dr. Anamika Shukla SOH	Internal SB Members
7.	Dr. Konde Lingaswamy, SOSW	Internal SB Members
8.	Dr. Chitresh Soni, SOTST	Internal SB Members
9.	Prof. C. Thirumurugan Deptt. of French, Pondicherry University	External SB Members
10.	Prof. Sayed Hasnain Akhtar, HoD, Deptt of Arabic, University of Delhi	External SB Members
11.	Dr. Neeraj Dhankhar, Associate Prof., Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith, Varanasi	External SB Members
12.	Prof. Nabin Kumar Panda, Deptt of East Asian Studies, University of Delhi	External SB Members
13.	Prof. T. Srivani, Head, Deptt of Hispanic and Italian Studies, The English and Foreign Language University, Hyderabad	External SB Members

#	Type	Meeting No.	Meeting Date/Time	Venue
1	BSOFL	1	2007-12-07
2	BSOFL	2	2008-11-07
3	BSOFL	3	2009-06-23
4	BSOFL	4	2010-06-09
5	BSOFL	5	2010-08-11
6	BSOFL	6	2011-01-04
7	BSOFL	7	2011-08-25
8	BSOFL	8	2011-10-25
9	BSOFL	9	2012-07-13
10	BSOFL	10	2012-10-12
11	BSOFL	11	2013-05-14	Room No.2, SOFL, Block 15 (D), IGNOU.
12	BSOFL	12	2013-07-02	Classroom No. 2, SOFL, Block 15 (D), IGNOU
13	BSOFL	13	2013-11-12	Çlassroom No. 2, SOFL Block15 (D), IGNOU.
14	BSOFL	14	2014-05-16	Çlassroom No. 2, SOFL Block15 (D), IGNOU.
15	BSOFL	15	2014-07-04	Çlassroom No. 2, SOFL Block15 (D), IGNOU.
16	BSOFL	16	2014-10-16	Çlassroom No. 2, SOFL Block15 (D), IGNOU.
17	BSOFL	17	2015-02-23	Çlassroom No. 2, SOFL Block15 (D), IGNOU.
18	BSOFL	18	2015-09-07	Çlassroom No. 2, SOFL Block15 (D), IGNOU.
19	BSOFL	19	2016-05-27	Çlassroom No. 2, SOFL Block15 (D), IGNOU.
20	BSOFL	20	2017-02-06	Çlassroom No. 2, SOFL Block15 (D), IGNOU.
21	BSOFL	21	2017-09-11	Çlassroom No. 2, SOFL Block15 (D), IGNOU.
22	BSOFL	22	2018-02-09	Çlassroom No. 2, SOFL Block15 (D), IGNOU.
23	BSOFL	23	2018-06-01	Çlassroom No. 2, SOFL Block15 (D), IGNOU.
24	BSOFL	24	2018-10-31	Committee Room, SOFL, IGNOU, New Delhi.
25	BSOFL	25	2019-04-26	Committee Room, SOFL, IGNOU, New Delhi.
26	BSOFL	26	2020-07-13	Virtual Mode (Google Meet)
27	BSOFL	27	2020-12-30	Room of the Director, SOFL.
28	BSOFL	28	2021-09-08	Online Mode
29	BSOFL	29	2022-02-02	Online Mode
30	BSOFL	30	2022-02-28	Online Mode
31	BSOFL	31	2022-07-15	Online Mode
32	BSOFL	32	2022-09-11	Online Mode
33	BSOFL	33	2022-12-06	Online Mode
34	BSOFL	34	2024-07-19	Online Mode

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Faculty / Staff Details

Prof. Deepanwita Srivastava

Designation:	Professor
Specialization:	French, Tourism Studies
Academic Level:	14
Joining:	01-02-2009
Brief Profile:	Deepanwita Srivastava is Professor of French and specializes in the areas of Didactics of French Language, Open Distance & Distributed Learning, Translation & Interpretation and Travel & Mobility Studies. Alumna of the Centre of French and Francophone Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, N.Delhi she has a long experience of teaching French at several universities and institutions of Higher Education and is counted among the pioneers of French Studies in Open Distance & Distributed Learning in India. Appointed Principal Lexicographer & Rédactrice en chef (Editor in Chief) for the United Nations Project on the Hindi-French Bilingual Dictionary with the Central Hindi Directorate-- CHD, Ministry of Education, Govt. of India. Designed and developed the first Master’s Program in French in India in the Open & Distance Learning Mode, created French language learning modules for SWAYAM MOOCs, and designed multiple curricula catering to Pedagogy of French as a Foreign Language–Français langue étrangère FLE in ODL models. Actively engaged with Language courses and Skill development in the FYUP Program under the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) (Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship - MSDE), Govt of India and the E-VBAB— E Vidya Bharati Project of the Govt. of India for students from Africa. Coordinator of the Ph.D program in French at the School of Foreign Languages, she has successfully guided several Doctoral research students at IGNOU as well as at other universities contributing to innovation and knowledge creation in the domain of French Studies. Widely published and Invited/Visiting scholar at several universities abroad, she has been also recipient of International Fellowships from the Shastri Indo Canadian Institute - SICI, Asian Association of Open Universities - AAOU, UNESCO, and the ICSSR. Member, Advisory Boards, Comités scientifiques/Editorial Boards of International journals, Boards of Studies and Academic Councils of universities, Committees on Educational Policies, Curriculum Planning & Research Councils. Actively engaged in workshops, projects and collaborations with the French Embassy in India, Indian Council of Social Sciences Research (ICSSR, Ministry of Education, Govt. of India, Indian Council of Cultural Relations, Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. of India, UNESCO, Bureau du Quebec India, CEMCA (Commonwealth of Learning- CoL Canada), the Shastri Indo Canadian Institute (SICI), India Africa Virtual University (IAVU, Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. of India), Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU), Innovation Council of India and the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, - IIFT (Ministry of Commerce, Govt. of India). Major publications include “संयुक्त राष्ट्र हिंदी-फ्रासीसी कोश" (Hindi-French Bilingual Dictionary), Ministry of Education, Govt of India and four more books on Didactics of French Language, Translation and Interpretation, African Francophonie, and Mobility Studies, apart from numerous research publications as book chapters and articles in national and international journals. Was conferred upon the "Prix d’excellence de l’enseignement du français”– Award for Excellence in French Studies in 2023 by the Institut français en Inde –IFI, Embassy of France in India. Areas of Interest: Didactics of French as a Foreign Language Language Teaching/Learning in Open and Distance Mode Curriculum Planning & Instructional Design in ODL Mobility & Travel Studies Translation & Interpretation
Attachments:

Designation: Professor
Specialization: French, Tourism Studies
Academic Level: 14
Joining: 01-02-2009

Prof. Mohammad Saleem

Designation:	Professor
Specialization:	Arabic
Academic Level:	14
Joining:	10-02-2009
Attachments:

Designation: Professor
Specialization: Arabic
Academic Level: 14
Joining: 10-02-2009

Vikash Kumar Singh

Designation:	Assistant Professor
Specialization:	Spanish
Academic Level:	12
Joining:	23-02-2009
Attachments:

Designation: Assistant Professor
Specialization: Spanish
Academic Level: 12
Joining: 23-02-2009

Shivaji Bhaskar

Designation:	Assistant Professor
Specialization:	Russian
Academic Level:	11
Joining:	09-08-2010
Email Id:	shivajibhaskar@ignou.ac.in
Brief Profile:	Mr Shivaji Bhaskar is Assistant Professor in School of Foreign Languages, IGNOU. He did his MA from Centre of Russian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University and M Phil from the School of International studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University. Currently, he is an Assistant Professor of Russian [stage 2] at Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) where he is responsible for the supervision of all aspects of the Russian language courses. Prior to joining IGNOU, Mr. Shivaji Bhaskar worked in the capacity of Russian language expert for various organizations of high repute. He has been a Board Member of various institutions and Universities like JNU, HPU etc. Presently he is coordinating the various Russian language programmes in ODL, SWAYAM MOOCs and Online Learning Mode. In 2023, Mr. Shivaji Bhaskar along with a team of eminent Russian language/ studies experts from Indian and Russian universities have designed & developed MA Russian Programme in ODL mode. In addition to his present academic responsibilities, he has also been entrusted with the design and development of Korean and Japanese language programme at IGNOU. His areas of special interest are Teaching of Russian as Foreign Language, Culture and Civilization of Russia, Translation of Scientific and Social Science material, Interpretation and Area Studies with special emphasis on Russian and Eurasian Studies. style="list-style-type:square;">Workshop & Seminars/Webinars A national seminar on the writings of Great Russian writer Alexander Pushkin's writings was organized by the School of Foreign Languages to mark the Russian Language Day on 6th June, 2011. A one day seminar on “The use of computer programmes and linguistic equipments at the lessons of the Russian Language” in collaboration with the Russian Centre of Science and Culture, New Delhi was organized and conducted on 15th Sept, 2011 at the Convention Centre, IGNOU. A national seminar on “70 Years of India-Russia Relations: The Way Forward” was organized by the School of Foreign Languages on 18th April, 2017. A national seminar on “Russia and the Changing World” was organized by the School of Foreign Languages to mark the Russian Language Day on 6th June, 2017. A Panel Discussion on “Great Russian writer Alexander Pushkin's writings” was organized by the School of Foreign Languages to mark the Russian Language Day on 6th June, 2019. Webinar on Remembering Alexander Pushkin on 6th June, 2022 Launched MA Russian Programme on 25th Jan, 2023 Webinar on Alexander Pushkin: The Icon of World Literature on 6th June, 2023 was organized in collaboration with Financial University, Russia.
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