First of its kind Joint Certification Program to Enable Development of Young Minds through Chess
New Delhi, 23 September, 2010: NIIT, leading Global Talent Development Corporation and Asia’s largest IT trainer, and Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), world’s largest Open University, have come together to launch ‘Certificate Program in Chess as Mind Booster’, to enable development of young minds through Chess. The program was unveiled by World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand. Also present on the occasion were Prof. V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai, Vice-Chancellor, IGNOU; Prof. K.R. Srivathsan, Pro-Vice Chancellor, IGNOU; Sh. Udai Singh Tolia, Registrar, IGNOU and Mr. P. Rajendran, Chief Operating Officer, NIIT. Dr. Anita Priyadarshini, Director, DEP-SSA and convener, welcomed the gathering.
The program aims to encourage young students to play Chess which would enable young minds to develop, and subsequently help them to think logically and improve their life skills. Also, under the guidance of Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand, IGNOU and NIIT will work towards extending the - NIIT MindChampions Academy across the country. The program will help the students to learn the game, practice, solve puzzles, analyze great moves, enrich their knowledge on Chess history and expose them to games of eminent players. Students will get an opportunity to play with Anand and participate in the annual ChessMaster.
“We are pleased to take our association with NIIT to the next level by offering joint certification program to promote Chess across the country. We are confident that this will encourage more and more people to learn and play Chess and will help in making India the world’s foremost nation in Chess once again” said Prof. V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai, Vice-Chancellor, IGNOU.
Commenting on the importance of Chess as a mind booster, Mr. P. Rajendran, COO, NIIT Ltd., remarked, “Studies have revealed that Chess has a positive impact on academics. I am confident that the Certificate Program in Chess as Mind Booster from NIIT & IGNOU will enable development of young minds and improve their concentration.”
Speaking on the occasion, World Chess Champion and NIIT MindChampion, Viswanathan Anand, said “I am delighted to be part of this unique initiative by NIIT and IGNOU that will go a long way in popularizing the game of Chess amongst youngsters in India.”
After the successful completion of the program students will be felicitated with a joint Certification by NIIT and IGNOU. This will enable the students to become members of the NIIT MindChampions Academy and contribute to the Chess movement in India.
Prof. K.R. Srivathsan, Pro Vice Chancellor, IGNOU, who initiated the program between of IGNOU and NIIT, explained the importance of offering this program through the Distance Education Program of the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan. This would further help making school education more exciting and relevant to children’s development. Prof. Srivathsan stated how this program will be made openly accessible to all interested through the ‘Sikshadhara’ portal of open education under the DEP-SSA whose development he had been guiding.
A Pan-India study on the Impact of Chess programmes on children - ‘Developing MindChampions through Chess’, indicates that Chess benefits students by enabling them to meet academic challenges through thoughtful preparations and flawless execution. These children also developed self-regulated learning, increased concentration on problem solving and a quest for newer concepts. The study proves beyond doubt that proficiency in Chess helps students to organise and manage time effectively.