Education at the doorstep of rural areas through EDUSAT

A unique project of

Distance and Higher Education

What is EDUSAT?

• EDUSAT is the first Indian Satellite designed and developed exclusively for serving the educational sector.
• It is mainly intended to meet the demand for an interactive satellite based distance education system for the country.
• EDUSAT was launched successfully by GSLV-F01 from Satish Dhavan launching centre of Sriharikota on 20 th September, 2004.
• Compared to the satellites launched in the INSAT series so far, EDUSAT has several new technologies.
• It is the first satellite configured for audio-visual medium, employing digital interactive class room and multi media system .

How EDUSAT is being used?

• EDUSAT is being utilized through a collaborative project of ISRO, MHRD and IGNOU.
• The Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD), Govt. of India has been promoting actively the open and distance learning systems in the country. Ministry is encouraging the use of EDUSAT in elementary, higher and technical education, vocational training and teachers training.
• ISRO provides the space segment for EDUSAT System and demonstrate the efficacy of the satellite system for interactive distance education.
• IGNOU is the nodal institution for utilization of EDUSAT. It will plan for expansion of educational facilities in the remote areas of the country through EDUSAT.

Utilization of EDUSAT by Madhya Pradesh Bhoj (Open) University-

• Following networks of EDUSAT are currently in operation-
• IGNOU, NCERT, UGC, AICTE and ICAR.
• All above mentioned networks are functional in universities, autonomous consortiums and institutions of division/district headquarter.
• Programme telecasted through these networks are mostly in English medium.
• Madhya Pradesh Bhoj (Open) University is the first and only one University in the country which has established a hub fully dedicated for higher education and distance education .
• Especially in higher education of Madhya Pradesh, there is a big gap of infrastructure and basic facilities between institutions of rural and urban areas. This gap will be narrowed through EDUSAT satellite based education.
• Madhya Pradesh Bhoj (Open) University is the first university in Madhya Pradesh, which has established its Satellite Interactive Terminals mainly in rural areas. Target group will be large number of students enrolled in rural and tribal areas.
• His Excellency Governor of Madhya Pradesh Dr Balram Jakhar and Hon’ble Minister Higher Education Shri Tukoji Rao Puar inaugurated the network on 6 th July 2007. Its network of 40 Satellite Interactive Terminals is functional.
• It is the Madhya Pradesh Bhoj (Open) University that initiated for the first time the involvement of MPs and MLAs for funding of Edusat project .
• Approximately an amount of Rs 40 lacs was donated by MPs and MLAs for the welfare of students of their constituencies. UGC also appreciated this scheme and encouraged it for further expansion of EDUSAT project.
• Network of first phase consists of 40 Satellite Interactive Terminals covering 8 regional offices of the university and 32 study centres, 6 more SITs will be installed in session 2008-09. Further expansion of SITs is being planned.
• Madhya Pradesh Bhoj (Open) University has 1062 Study centres, 3147 Academic Counselors, 1170 Co-ordinators 12 regional Centres and 7 PETCs and 3 lacs students. 44% students belong to urban area and 56% to rural/tribal areas. Thus approximately 1.70 lacs students of rural areas will be directly benefited through EDUSAT project. This will be a unique project of its own kind dedicated for thousands of students enrolled in study centres of rural and tribal areas.
• The ultimate goal of the University is to provide higher education and training at the doorstep of the professionals, students and other seekers of education

Current status

• Dr APJ Abdul Kalam H’ble President of India expressed at the launch of EDUSAT , that "Democratization of knowledge indicates knowledge for anyone, any time, any place. EduSat will be extremely helpful in making this shift possible and decreasing the digital divide."   Madhya Pradesh Bhoj (Open) University has made this dream true in real sense.

• Network of 40 SITs is operational. Rajiv Gandhi Technological University has collaborated with MPBOU in this project and their network of 62 SITs (Engineering Collegesd) is linked with our hub
• Recorded video lectures for BA/BSc/BCom students in Hindi medium are being telecasted every week Monday to Thrusday 11.00am to 01.00pm and repetition 03.00pm to 05.00pm.
• Live lectures are telecasted every Friday 11.30am to 12.30pm

Future Plan

• Installation of 6 SITs by ISRO.
• This network will be further expanded in 2008-09
• Class wise, subject wise, paper wise and unit wise library of video lectures and e-content will be developed.
• This material will be made available on specially designed web portal.
• Training programme for video lecture, script writing and e-content development will be organized to generate resource bank for Edusat satellite based education.
• Full fledged production from studio will be started from session 2008-09