New Delhi: The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) on Thursday announced imparting of education to farmers and youths on mulberry cultivation and silkworm production through distance learning.

Minister of State for Textiles, E.V.K.S. Elangovan launched the newly developed programme.

"The Central Silk Board (CSB) and IGNOU aims to impart scientific and entrepreneurial principles to the farmers and technicians involved in mulberry cultivation and silkworm production through Open Distance Learning (ODL)," varsity spokesman Ravi Mohan said.

The six-month long 'Certificate in Sericulture' programme will be the first such full-fledged educational and training programme being offered in the country through distance learning.

"The programme would be made available to the rural youth, workers working in sericulture, personnel working in states department of sericulture, and farmers involved in mulberry cultivation and silkworm rearing," Mohan added.

The course will commence from July this year and any one who is class 10 pass out can apply for enrolment.

India is the world's second largest silk producing country and the largest silk consumer.

IGNOU said the study programme is expected to address the vast manpower requirement for trained personnel in sericulture. After taking this course, successful candidates can find employment avenues as sericulture professionals, field assistants, supervisors in the corporate sericulture farms and rearing units.

Practical classes would back up the delivery of the programme to the students and farmers and counselling would be provided through different programme study centres. These programme study centres are established in central and state sericulture organisations.

IGNOU has about 1.8 million students on its rolls. The university offers 138 programmes like certificate course, diplomas masters degrees and doctorate degrees. IANS