NCOS

The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) is recognized as the world's largest open schooling system, playing a crucial role in the advancement and promotion of open schooling across India. Recognizing the diverse linguistic and cultural landscape of the country, NIOS advocates for the establishment of State Open Schools (SOSs) to better serve regional educational needs. This initiative led to the creation of the National Consortium for Open Schooling (NCOS) in September 1997, aiming to enhance cooperation, coordination, and standardization among open schools at both national (NIOS) and state (SOSs) levels.

NCOS is dedicated to expanding open schooling, ensuring quality education through open and distance learning (ODL), and facilitating the exchange of resources, expertise, and best practices among its members. Its primary objectives include promoting SOSs, advocating for ODL, establishing educational standards, assisting in curriculum design, maintaining an open schooling database, supporting research, and building capacity among open schooling personnel.

The vision of NCOS emphasizes collaborative networking for accessible and sustainable education, skill enhancement, and training through ODL. Its mission focuses on the coordinated development of an open schooling system that is learner-centric, ensuring high-quality education and addressing challenges of access and equity.

NCOS operates through structured meetings of its Executive Board and General Body, which includes chairpersons from all Indian Open Schools. Its functioning involves setting agendas, following up on recommendations, and liaising with government bodies for funding and support.

To achieve its aims, NCOS has outlined strategies for advocacy, quality assurance, capacity building, resource sharing, effective networking, and the promotion of research and innovation within the open schooling system. It also envisions establishing global partnerships to further the cause of open schooling on an international scale.