SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active-Learning for Young Aspiring Minds) and IGNOU (Indira Gandhi National Open University) are both platforms for distance education in India, but there are some differences between the two.
Ownership and Administration: IGNOU is a Central University under the Ministry of Education, Government of India. It was established in 1985 and offers various undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma, and certificate programs through distance education mode. On the other hand, SWAYAM is an initiative of the Ministry of Education, Government of India. It was launched in 2017 and offers online courses from various institutions and universities.
Course offerings: IGNOU offers a wide range of undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma, and certificate courses in various disciplines, including science, arts, commerce, management, and engineering. SWAYAM, on the other hand, offers online courses in various disciplines, including engineering, humanities, social sciences, law, management, and more.
Pedagogy: IGNOU follows a mix of self-learning materials and face-to-face sessions for its courses. SWAYAM, on the other hand, offers online courses with interactive video lectures, online discussion forums, quizzes, and assignments.
Certification: IGNOU provides a degree, diploma, or certificate upon completion of the course. SWAYAM provides a certificate of completion, which may or may not carry academic credit.
Fees: IGNOU charges a fee for its courses, which varies depending on the program and the duration of the course. SWAYAM courses are generally free, but there may be a nominal fee for certification.
In summary, while both IGNOU and SWAYAM are platforms for distance education, they differ in terms of ownership, administration, course offerings, pedagogy, certification, and fees.
