Pan African e-Network Project (PAeNP) was conceived by former President of India Late Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. The project was launched in 2009 and was successfully concluded on 30th Sept. 2017. The network provided education and medical services through telecommunication links (MPLS/IPLC/satellite based) in African Union (AU) member 48 countries of Africa. Subsequent to the completion of this project, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Govt. of India, has approved the launch of a technologically upgraded PAeNP-Phase-II, now called the e-VidyaBharati AarogyaBharati (e-VBAB) Project to continue providing Education and Healthcare services to African countries for another 5 years.
This network aims at providing quality tele-education facility by linking select Indian Universities and Institutions to African Educational institutions. Currently, 26 Indian Universities (9 Government and 17 Private) are empanelled under the project, which are offering a total of 305 ONLINE UG/PG/Diploma Programmes, which are approved by the UGC. MoU has been signed with 19 African countries for participation in e-VBAB project namely, Benin, Comoros, Cote d’Ivore, DRC, Eritrea, Ghana, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Gambia, Guinea, Seychelles, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Zambia, Somalia, Nigeria. The courses offered are from a variety of disciplines namely, Art and Humanities, Computer, IT, Engineering, Commerce, Management, Law, Maths and Sciences, Social Sciences, Life Sciences, Languages. Scholarships are being awarded to the African students by the Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. of India enrolled for the various programs being offered under the project. These include, short-term courses, undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, and continued medical education. The scholarship covers the tuition fees to attend an Indian university that will award the certificate or the degree.
An agreement for participating in e-VidyaBharti and e-AarogyaBharti (eVBAB) Network Project of Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India was signed between IGNOU and TCIL on 7th June, 2022. Out of around 3700 learners from the 19 countries who are enrolled for this project around 70% of them (i.e., 2618) have been given to IGNOU. It is because of the credibility, IT Infrastructure & quality education provided by the IGNOU in ODL & ONLINE Mode that majority of the students have been enrolled under the IGNOU. In this context, a meeting of the Regional Centres who have been designated as the Centres to conduct this project of IGNOU, was conducted under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble Vice Chancellor Prof. Nageshwar Rao. The meeting was also attended by Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof. Uma Kanjilal, Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr. Srikanth Mohapatra, Director RSD Dr. U. C. Pandey, Director COE Prof. Prof. Madhu Prahar, Director ID Prof. J.K. Srivastava and all the Regional Directors/Assistant Regional Directors of the 12 RCs, informed the Regional Director, IGNOU Regional Centre Srinagar Dr. Shahnawaz Ahmad Dar.