The University operates through a network of 56 Regional Centres(RC), 11 Recognized Regional Centres (RRC) (i.e., 6, IGNOU-Army RRC, 4, IGNOU-Navy RRC 1, IGNOU-Assam Rifles RRC) and nearly 2000 Learner Support Centres across the country. The vast network of RCs and LSCs extends the outreach of IGNOU to the hitherto deprived rural, remote, socially and physically disadvantaged segments of population, providing them access to quality and cost-effective higher education in a flexible manner. The Regional Centre has been defined under Section 2(J) of the IGNOU Act as under: "Regional Centre" means a Centre established or maintained by the University for the purpose of coordinating and supervising the work of the Study Centres in any region and for performing such other functions as may be conferred on such Centre by the Board of Management (BoM).