The minister released the study material of the course while the brochure of the programme was released by IGNOU, vice-chancellor VN Rajasekharan Pillai.

Other dignitaries present on the occasion included Uma Devi, director silk, ministry of textiles, M. Sathyavathy, IAS, member secretary at the silk board and other academicians from IGNOU.

The course is a six months `certificate in sericulture' programme and will begin in the July 2008 academic session. It has been developed by the school of agriculture, IGNOU in collaboration with the central silk board of the ministry of textiles.

The IGNOU-CSB programme is the first such full fledged educational and training programme being offered in the country through open distance learning mode.

Through the programme, the central silk board and IGNOU aim to impart scientific and entrepreneurial principles to farmers and technicians involved in mulberry cultivation and silkworm production.