New Delhi: The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) on Friday said it will set up a Centre for Internal Quality Assurance (CIQA) to ensure quality in open and distance learning education system in the country.

"(The move) has been initiated in order to augment quality-related activities and introduce effective accreditation and audit practice to develop self accountability in the system," said V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai, chairman of IGNOU's Distance Education Council (DEC).

Pillai, who is also the vice chancellor, said the draft for setting up CIQA had been prepared in consultation with all state open universities.

"The DEC has developed various guidelines, norms, policies. We have provided facilities for strengthening the academic capabilities of distance learning institutions," he said. IANS