The Edusat programme launched in 2007 will be extended to all first-grade government colleges and 10 government engineering institutes in the next three months.
Addressing the media during the launch of an Edusat studio on the premises of Government Institute of Printing Technology here on Wednesday, Minister for Higher Education R V Deshpande said: “This programme will be helpful for rural students and those from small towns in getting quality and improved education. Moreover, there will be experts from various departments to monitor the programme and help teachers and students.”
As of now, facilities related to the programme have already been installed in 130 first-grade government colleges and 32 government polytechnic colleges.
The studio has facilities to broadcast live educational lectures as well as recorded ones on various subjects. It will also provide an opportunity for students to listen to lectures and recorded educational material of scholars from various universities and educational bodies like the All India Council of Technical Education, the University Grants Commission, and the Educational Multimedia Research Centre (EMRC), Mysore.
“The Department of State Educational Research and Training is ready with content for 45 days and EMRC also has content for 1,000 days. The Department of Collegiate Education is looking through the content and is in the process of selecting them for the programme,” said Deshpande.
Skill training
Besides preparing students for competitive examinations and imparting skill training, it will also be used by teachers for empowerment and communication purposes.
Highlighting the facilities available in polytechnic colleges in the State, Deshpande said a proposal for construction of new buildings in the rest of the 18 polytechnic colleges has been sent to the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development.