Indira Gandhi National Open University(IGNOU) इंदिरा गांधी राष्ट्रीय मुक्त विश्वविद्यालय (इग्नू)
Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Invites Applications for Certificate in Geriatric Health and Care (CGHC) Programme In response to the growing need for trained caregivers for the elderly population, the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) offers admissions to its Certificate in Geriatric Health and Care (CGHC) programme for the July 2025 session. Delivered through the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) mode, this six-month certificate programme is endorsed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. All State Governments have been requested to support the initiative. The programme is designed to build capacity among 10+2 qualified individuals, as well as 11th and 12th pass candidates with one to two years of experience in the health sector. It aims to equip learners with the necessary knowledge and skills to promote the health and care of older persons both at home and in institutional settings. Graduates of the programme will serve as vital links between the elderly and healthcare services. They will be trained to screen for common geriatric conditions, provide basic care, refer critical cases, and promote healthy ageing practices within the community. The curriculum includes managerial and entrepreneurial aspects, enabling learners to contribute effectively in hospitals, health care centres, long-term care facilities, and community health environments. Learners will receive high-quality study materials developed by experts, including 40 instructional videos created by IGNOU. Training is conducted through both online and offline academic counselling sessions. Practical hands-on training is provided for 8 days in designated medical colleges or large hospitals, followed by a two-month skills development module in district hospitals across the country. Candidates working in hospitals can undergo the practical component in their own institutions as part of their on-the-job training. As India’s elderly population continues to grow, the demand for formal, trained caregivers is rising sharply. The CGHC programme by IGNOU is a timely response to bridge the existing manpower gap and support the nation’s ageing population with dignity and care.
After completing the programme you should be able to: function as an important link between the older persons and other health and related institutions to enable the older persons to lead a comfortable, dignified life by using his knowledge, skills and the available resources; assess the older persons for any decline in intrinsic capacity and functional ability and address this decline effectively with available resources; identify the complaints and problems in older persons and effectively handle them by proper screening, advice and referrals; detect emergency conditions or danger signs in long term illnesses and refer appropriately in a timely manner; encourage health promotion and prevention strategies for healthy aging; provide care to the older persons in the health care institutions, long term care institutions or in the community; educate other community members including family members regarding care of health needs; and develop managerial and entrepreneur skills for providing health care to the older persons
