This paper was presented as Prof G. Ram Reddy Memorial Endowment Lecture, 1998 organised by the lndian Distance Education Association on 18-19 Apri1, 1998. The author discusses the growth of open learning and distance education in India. An anlysis of the relevance of courses and the extent of reach of open learning system is presented. The author furfher deliberates upon the extent of sensitivity of the open learning system to the social needs of the country, and notes that proper selection and utilisation of communication technology will strengthen the open learning system.