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The ODL system is holistic as it can incorporate multiple learners from various locations compared to conventional education system. In India, the first Asian Noble laureate poet and humanist Rabindranath had a unique idea of mass education long before the establishment of open institutions around the world. He pointed out two directions of education: education of pleasure and education of need. These complex relations have been immensely propagated through the formation of Visva-Bharati University (1916) and Sriniketan. Rabindranath's ideas of education focused on self-respect and self-reliance or 'Palli-punargathan' (resurrection of villages) as well as social ethics.

He proposed a unique education policy to incorporate aged and female learners of remote villages of Bengal in 1936. This was implemented in Visva-Bharati through the newly formed 'Lokshikkha Samsad' (Mass Education Council, 1937). This idea is similar to the open edu-cation system today. According to an advertisement published in Visva Bharati University Bulletin (August, 1937), there was a plan for an examination system to accredit knowledge of the margin . The concept of study centre, customisation of exam rules for learners, plan for home-assignment, through postage, were also introduced. The centre targeted aged females who faced difficulties obtaining proper education. Records of who have enrolled and passed show us that this attempt had gained popularity initially. Local Bengali language was used as the medium of instruction. Rabindranath believed that the university is not only a centre for knowledge distribution but also a centre of new knowledge generation. "Lokshikkha Granthamala" (Mass Education Publication Series) was another attempt to expand open learning through Open Education Repository. This publication series was content oriented, well-written and low-priced. It also served as an example of open book system as well as re-pository of knowledge for a university that thought of open learning long before the establishment of open universities around the world.

The purpose of this study is to isolate yellow pigment producing fungal strain and to determine the media requirement for growth and secondary metabolite production.

Fifteen soil samples were collected and studied for a pigment producing fungal sources. Selection of a fungus was based on pigment produced and further conditions, such as effect of media composition and light wavelength on pigment production and growth parameters were optimised.

Out of the isolates analysed, Epicoccum nigrum was selected for further study as this strain has the potential for pigment production. Among all the media evaluated, potato dextrose agar (PDA) was found to be the best media for growth and sporulation, whilst sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) was only 29 per cent as capable as the best medium. The radial growth rate in case of PDA was 3 ± 0.02 mm/day, while in case of SDA, it was only 1.09 mm/day. Whilst starch as a carbon source was found to increase the radial growth to 5.15 ± 0.02 mm/day, sucrose significantly (p < 0.05) influenced the sporulation (224,000 ± 1,550 spores/ml) of Epicoccum nigrum. Amongst the various nitrogen sources analysed, peptone significantly increased (p < 0.05) the radial growth (6.55 ± 0.02 mm/day) as well as sporulation (220,000 ± 2,100 spores/ml). The observations also indicated that E. nigrum is able to sense and differentiate between light in different wavelength ranges and respond differently in growth and sporulation. The light passing through a red colour sheet resulted in better radial growth (8.5 ± 0.02 mm/day) in comparison to unfiltered light (3 ± 0.02 mm/day). Yellow pigment production in terms of hue values was significantly influenced by the presence of dextrose, peptone and darkness.

The isolated strain could be studied for variable conditions and stress factors for optimal production of the pigment. Recovery and purification studies could be carried out at pilot and industrial scale.

The isolation of a strain producing valuable microbial pigment will increase the alternatives of natural food colours and enhance the its commercial applications

This study identifies Epicoccum nigrum as a potential source of microbial pigment and facilitates its growth and production for possible applications in industrial pigment production.