IGNOU Certificate in Geriatric Health and Care (CGHC), also known as Certificate in Geriatric Care Assistance (CGCA), is a 6-month certificate programme offered in Open Distance Learning (ODL) mode by the School of Health Sciences. The programme is endorsed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and is designed to train youth to provide compassionate, effective, and comprehensive health and care to older individuals in community and healthcare institutions. The total programme fee is Rs. 6,500 (plus applicable registration and development fees). Eligibility is 10+2 pass, or 10th/11th pass with relevant healthcare experience. The programme includes 8 days of hands-on training at a notified study centre and 2 months of practical training at a district-level hospital. It is popular among those seeking employment as geriatric care workers, home health aides, and care providers in hospitals and elderly care institutions.
Admissions for the July 2026 session are expected to open in May 2026, with the last date to apply tentatively in July 2026 (based on the previous year's pattern). For the January 2026 session, the last date for fresh registration was extended to 30th March 2026 (with a special deadline of 15th February 2026 noted for this programme). As of the current date (March 2026), the January 2026 session admission is in its final stage. Students who missed the January 2026 session should plan for the July 2026 session.
Since CGHC is offered exclusively in Distance/ODL mode with mandatory practical training, the programme is delivered through select study centres (primarily hospitals and medical colleges) across India. Current study centres include:
- Hyderabad: Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences
- Bhopal: AIIMS Bhopal; IGNOU Regional Centre Bhopal
- Imphal: District Hospital
- Bhubaneshwar: College of Nursing, MKCG Medical; SCB Medical College Cuttack
- Jaipur: Government College of Nursing, Jaipur
- Delhi: Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi
- Dehradun: AIIMS Rishikesh
- Ranchi: IGNOU Regional Centre Ranchi; Institute of Public Health, Govt. Vaccine Institute
- Nagpur: IGNOU Regional Centre Nagpur
- Noida: IGNOU Regional Centre Noida
- Varanasi: Institute of Medical Sciences, BHU Varanasi
- Chandigarh: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar State Institute of Medical Sciences, Mohali
- Delhi (Mohan Estate): ESIC Medical College and Hospital
- Bijapur: B.V.V.S Sajjalashree Institute; IGNOU Regional Centre Bijapur
- Jodhpur: Dr. Sampurnanand Medical College
Key Points
- The programme is endorsed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, giving it strong official recognition
- Includes 8 days of hands-on training at a notified study centre (hospital) plus 2 months of practical training at a district-level hospital
- Seat intake is limited (20-30 seats per study centre), so early application is recommended
- Graduates can work as professional health and care providers in homes, specialized elderly care institutions, and hospitals
- Available only in English medium
- Practical training is conducted at hospitals and medical colleges, providing real-world clinical exposure
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