New Delhi: Uma Kanjilal has been appointed the first woman Vice Chancellor of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), four decades after the university was established, according to education ministry officials.

“With over 36 years of distinguished service in the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) system, Kanjilal brings a wealth of academic leadership, digital innovation, and institutional knowledge to the helm of one of the world’s largest open universities,” an official said.

“She was currently serving as active Vice Chancellor of the university and has previously served as Pro Vice Chancellor of the university (March 2021-July 2024),” the official said.

A professor of Library and Information Science since 2003, Kanjilal is nationally recognised for her expertise in e-learning, ICT in libraries, digital libraries, and multimedia courseware development. She is currently the National Coordinator for SWAYAM and SWAYAM PRABHA, the flagship digital education initiatives of the Ministry of Education.

Kanjilal has held various leadership roles at the university including Director, Centre for Online Education (2019–2021); Director, Inter-University Consortium for Technology Enabled Flexible Education (2016–2019); Director, Advanced Centre for Informatics and Innovative Learning (2012–2013); Director, School of Social Sciences (2007–2010); and University Librarian (2004–2006).