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School of Studies<br/>(School of Gender and Development Studies)

School of Studies
(School of Gender and Development Studies)

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The School of Gender and Development Studies (SOGDS), established in 2007, aims at achieving gender justice and equity through developing and launching academic programmes in the areas of Gender and Development studies as well as Women’s and Gender studies. Through its academic programmes, the School promotes conceptual, analytical and critical understanding of gender issues in an effort to bring about affirmative social transformations. The School examines the existing gender gap and addresses the issue of gender disparity, with the objectives of strengthening individual and institutional efforts to bring about gender equity and social justice.

The School of Gender and Development Studies engages with:

  • Designing and developing academic programmes and courses at research, post graduate, undergraduate and awareness levels;
  • Conducting research and developing appropriate research methodology; and
  • Formulating and implementing training programmes.

Programmes are currently offered under two broad streams: Gender and Development Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies. Other focal areas within these broad streams include Literature, Culture, Law, Science and Agriculture among others.

The School envisions itself to have been constituted for attainment of a fair and equal society by focusing on knowledge creation, knowledge dissemination, critical thinking, research, training, sensitization and advocacy. Towards this end, the School wishes to pursue relevant courses and various other intellectual activities. The School envisions its future with great expectations and is committed to working towards the attainment of an equitable society where all gender segments get full opportunity to realize their aspirations of self-development.

The School envisages major initiatives in research, teaching, training and advocacy in the areas of Women's and Gender Studies as well as gender and development studies.

Welcome to School of Gender and Development Studies (SOGDS)! The School is a unique initiative of Indira Gandhi National Open University – the only full-fledged School in the country devoted to creating change agents ushering in gender equality and gender equity in society. We are happy to share with you details about our vision for the School and its activities. The academic programmes we offer are benefiting both national and international target audiences. From undergraduate and postgraduate degree, diploma and certificate programmes to research programmes, the School offers a rich, diverse and wide range of academic programmes designed and developed with inputs from leading experts across the country. Our programmes encourage learners to acquire and upgrade their qualifications and competencies equipping them to meet personal and professional goals.

The job opportunities that await our learners span governmental and non-governmental as well as corporate sectors; media organizations; international organizations such as the UN, multilateral and bilateral agencies; and specialized training institutions among others.

We continue to engage with our most valued learners, experts, academic contributors and counsellors. We look forward to your suggestions and feedback which will provide encouragement and impetus to our future efforts.


Prof. Annu J. Thomas
Director,
School of Gender and Development Studies

Swami Vivekananda Bhawan,
Block- 15 B,
Indira Gandhi National Open University
New Delhi-110068


Email: sogds@ignou.ac.in
Phone: 011-29571620

IGNOU
School of Gender and Development Studies
School Board- Members

S.No. Photograph Name & Address Designation with Terms
1. Prof. Annu J. Thomas,
Director, SOGDS
IGNOU, New Delhi- 110068 		Chairperson,
Under Clause 2 (a) of Statute 10 (A)
2. Prof. Anita Singh,
Professor and Head,
Department of English,
BHU, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 		External Member,
Under Clause 2 (e) of Statute 10 (A)
Term: - 06.04.2024 to 05.04.2026
Notification No: IG/ACD/SB-SOGDS/2008/3195 dt. 06.04.2024
3. Prof. Kalpana Purohit,
Former Prof. & Head,
Department of English,
Jai Narayan Vyas University,
Jodhpur, Rajasthan 		External Member,
Under Clause 2 (e) of Statute 10 (A)
Term: - 06.04.2024 to 05.04.2026
Notification No: IG/ACD/SB-SOGDS/2008/3195 dt. 06.04.2024
4. Prof. Seema Malik,
Former Dean of Research and Professor,
Department of English,
M.L. Sukhadia University,
Udaipur, Rajasthan 		External Member,
Under Clause 2 (e) of Statute 10 (A)
Term: - 06.04.2024 to 05.04.2026
Notification No: IG/ACD/SB-SOGDS/2008/3195 dt. 06.04.2024
5. Prof. Sawmya Ray,
Professor,
Department of Humanities and Social Sciences,
IIT Guwahati, Assam 		External Member,
Under Clause 2 (e) of Statute 10 (A)
Term: - 06.04.2024 to 05.04.2026
Notification No: IG/ACD/SB-SOGDS/2008/3195 dt. 06.04.2024
6. Prof. Nagaraju Gundemeda,
Department of Sociology,
School of Social Sciences,
Hyderabad Central University,
Hyderabad 		External Member,
Under Clause 2 (e) of Statute 10 (A)
Term: - 06.04.2024 to 05.04.2026
Notification No: IG/ACD/SB-SOGDS/2008/3195 dt. 06.04.2024
7. Prof. Shubhangi Vaidya,
Professor, SOITS
IGNOU, New Delhi- 110068 		Internal Member not assigned to SOGDS,
Term:- 18.09.2025 to 17.09.2027
Notification No: IG/ACD/SB-SOGDS/2008/1567 dt. 18.09.2025
8. Prof. Nehal A. Farooquee,
Professor, SOEDS,
IGNOU, New Delhi- 110068
Internal Member not assigned to SOGDS,
Term:- 18.09.2025 to 17.09.2027
Notification No: IG/ACD/SB-SOGDS/2008/1567 dt. 18.09.2025
9. Dr. Kakoli Gogoi,
Associate Professor, SOS
IGNOU, New Delhi- 110068
Internal Member not assigned to SOGDS,
Term:- 18.09.2025 to 17.09.2027
Notification No: IG/ACD/SB-SOGDS/2008/1567 dt. 18.09.2025
10. Dr. Chitresh Soni,
Assistant Professor, SOTST
IGNOU, New Delhi- 110068
Internal Member not assigned to SOGDS,
Term:- 18.09.2025 to 17.09.2027
Notification No: IG/ACD/SB-SOGDS/2008/1567 dt. 18.09.2025
11. Prof. Savita Singh,
Professor, SOGDS
IGNOU, New Delhi- 110068 		Under Clause 2 (b) of Statute 10 (A)
12. Prof. Himadri Roy,
Professor, SOGDS
IGNOU, New Delhi- 110068
Under Clause 2 (b) of Statute 10 (A)
13. Dr. Smita M. Patil,
Associate Professor,
IGNOU, New Delhi- 110068 		Internal Member assigned to SOGDS,
Under Clause 2 (c) of Statute 10 (A)
Term: - 23.05.2025 to 22.05.2027
Notification No: IG/ACD/SB-SOGDS/2008/787 dt. 23.05.2025
14. Dr. Sunita Dhal,
Associate Professor,
IGNOU, New Delhi- 110068
Internal Member assigned to SOGDS,
Under Clause 2 (c) of Statute 10 (A)
Term: - 23.05.2025 to 22.05.2027
Notification No: IG/ACD/SB-SOGDS/2008/787 dt. 23.05.2025
15. Dr. G. Uma,
Associate Professor,
IGNOU, New Delhi- 110068 		Internal Member assigned to SOGDS,
Under Clause 2 (c) of Statute 10 (A)
Term: - 23.05.2025 to 22.05.2027
Notification No: IG/ACD/SB-SOGDS/2008/787 dt. 23.05.2025
16. Dr. Usha Rana,
Associate Professor,
IGNOU, New Delhi- 110068 		Internal Member assigned to SOGDS,
Under Clause 2 (c) of Statute 10 (A)
Term: - 23.05.2025 to 22.05.2027
Notification No: IG/ACD/SB-SOGDS/2008/787 dt. 23.05.2025
# Type Meeting No. Meeting Date/Time Venue Minutes Appendix
1 BSOGDS 1 2007-12-04 Board Room, Block No.8, IGNOU, New Delhi- 110068 SBM-1
2 BSOGDS 2 2008-11-17 Board Room, Btock No.8, IGNOU, New Delhi - 110068 SBM-2
3 BSOGDS 3 2008-10-29 Board Room, Block No.8, IGNOU, New Delhi- 110068 SBM-3
4 BSOGDS 4 2025-10-06 Online Mode SBM-4
5 BSOGDS 5 2009-07-23 Conference Room SBM-5
6 BSOGDS 6 2010-01-12 Conference Room(SOCE), Block G, IGNOU SBM-6
7 BSOGDS 7 2010-04-19 Conference Room(SOCE), Block G, IGNOU SBM-7
8 BSOGDS 8 2010-09-16 Conference Room(SOCE), Block G, IGNOU SBM-8
9 BSOGDS 9 2011-02-11 Conference Room, Academic Complex, IGNOU SBM-9
10 BSOGDS 10 2011-04-27 Conference Room of NCIDE, Block G, Academic complex, IGNOU SBM-10
11 BSOGDS 11 2011-08-25 Conference Room, Academic Complex, IGNOU SBM-11
12 BSOGDS 12 2012-01-25 Conference Room(SOCE), Academic Complex, IGNOU SBM-12
13 BSOGDS 13 2012-08-31 Conference Room(SOCE), Academic Complex, IGNOU SBM-13
14 BSOGDS 14 2013-02-26 Conference Room of SOSS, Tagore Bhawan,Academic Complex, IGNOU SBM-14
15 BSOGDS 15 2013-07-25 Conference Room of SOE, Zakir Hussain Bhawan,IGNOU Campus, Maidan Garhi, New Delhi SBM-15
16 BSOGDS 16 2013-11-27 Conference Room of Dr. S. Radhakrishnan Block G,IGNOU Campus, Maidan Garhi, New Delhi SBM-16
17 BSOGDS 17 2014-02-19 Conference Room of Dr. S. Radhakrishnan Block,IGNOU Campus, Maidan Garhi, New Delhi SBM-17
18 BSOGDS 18 2014-09-11 Conference Room of Dr. S. Radhakrishnan Block,IGNOU Campus, Maidan Garhi, New Delhi SBM-18
19 BSOGDS 19 2015-05-15 Conference Room of SOTST,Block no-15, IGNOU Maidan Garhi SBM-19
20 BSOGDS 20 2016-03-02 Conference Room of SOTST,Block no-15, IGNOU Maidan Garhi SBM-20
21 BSOGDS 21 2016-09-30 MEDIA LAB OF SOJNMS. BLOCK-I5 IGNOU, MAIDAN GARHI, NEw DELHI SBM-21
22 BSOGDS 22 2017-04-19 Block No. 15 IGNOU MAIDAN Garhi, New Delhi SBM-22
23 BSOGDS 23 2017-09-20 Block No. 15 IGNOU MAIDAN Garhi, New Delhi SBM-23
24 BSOGDS 24 2018-05-04 Block No. 15 IGNOU MAIDAN Garhi, New Delhi SBM-24
25 BSOGDS 25 2016-09-30 Online Mode SBM-25
26 BSOGDS 26 2019-04-18 Block No. 15 IGNOU MAIDAN Garhi, New Delhi SBM-26
27 BSOGDS 27 2019-11-11 Block No. 15 IGNOU MAIDAN Garhi, New Delhi SBM-27
28 BSOGDS 28 2020-01-07 Block No. 15 IGNOU MAIDAN Garhi, New Delhi SBM-28
29 BSOGDS 29 2020-09-23 Online Mode SBM-29
30 BSOGDS 30 2020-12-23 Online Mode SBM-30
31 BSOGDS 31 2021-09-10 Online Mode SBM-31
32 BSOGDS 32 2022-01-06 Online Mode SBM-32
33 BSOGDS 33 2022-05-10 Online Mode SBM-33
34 BSOGDS 34 2022-09-20 Online Mode SBM-34
35 BSOGDS 35 2023-04-27 Online Mode SBM-35
36 BSOGDS 36 2023-06-20 Online Mode SBM-36
37 BSOGDS 37 2023-09-17 WINGS, SOGDS SBM-37
38 BSOGDS 38 2024-03-05 Online Mode SBM-38
39 BSOGDS 39 2024-04-10 Online Mode SBM-39
40 BSOGDS 40 2024-07-25 Hybrid Mode,WiNGS, Block 15-B, Vivekananda Bhawan, IGNOU, Maidan SBM-40
41 BSOGDS 41 2024-12-03 Online Mode SBM-41
42 BSOGDS 42 2024-01-24 Online Mode SBM-42
43 BSOGDS 43 2025-04-29 Online Mode SBM-43
44 BSOGDS 44 2025-08-26 WiNGS, Block 15-B, Vivekananda Bhawan, IGNOU, Maidan SBM-44
45 BSOGDS 45 2025-10-06 Hybrid Mode,WiNGS,SOGDS, Block 15-B,Swami Vivekananda Bhawan, IGNOU, Maidan SBM-45
# Photo Faculty / Staff Details
1
Additional Designation: Designation: Professor
 Specialization: Gender planning and training; Women's empowerment and Development.
 Academic Level: 14
 Joining: 24-01-1989
 011-29571611, athomas@ignou.ac.in
2
Designation: Professor
 Specialization: Gender & Development Studies, Women’s Studies and Feminist Thought.
 Academic Level: 14
 Joining: 30-01-2009
 011-29571613, savitasingh@ignou.ac.in
3
Designation: Professor
 Specialization: Queer Studies, Gender Studies, Women’s Studies, Literary Studies, Film Studies, Media Studies.
 Academic Level: 14
 Joining: 19-02-2009
 011-29571614, himadriroy@ignou.ac.in
4
Designation: Associate Professor
 Specialization: Women’s and Gender Studies, Social and Political Theory, Gender and Law, Caste and Gender, Indian Politics and so on.
 Academic Level: 13A
 Joining: 10-02-2010
 011-29571618, smitampatil@ignou.ac.in
5
Designation: Associate Professor
 Specialization: Women, Science & Technology; Gender, Ecology and Indigenous Knowledge System.
 Academic Level: 13A
 Joining: 02-03-2010
 011-29571615, sunitadhal@ignou.ac.in
6
Designation: Associate Professor
 Specialization: Gender and Development Studies, Governance, Gender, Agriculture and Sustainable Development.
 Academic Level: 13A
 Joining: 03-03-2010
 011-29571616, guma@ignou.ac.in
7
Designation: Associate Professor
 Specialization: Women Studies, Gender Studies, Marginalized, Communities, Impact of Technology on Society.
 Academic Level: 13A
 Joining: 09-07-2024
 011-29571619, usharana@ignou.ac.in
8
Designation: Assistant Registrar
 Academic Level: 10
 Joining: 09-01-1995
 011-29571612, anil@ignou.ac.in