In any transition from one system of education to another, students are found to face not only cultural shock but also operational difficulties. While cultural change spans a long period during which atritudinal changes occur gradually, operational difficulties faced by the large open universities can be solved in a short time, provided the appropriate mnagerial strategies based on research are evolved. The operational difficulties faced hy IGNOU at the moment are challenges not only to students but also the University Management. Studies of this kind would help the tnanagement to take informed decisions in sonle key nrecls of the Universities' operations.