Distance Education in India

Distance Learning or distance education program is a way of teaching yourself while sitting at home. Whether you live in remotest of area where there is no resource of education or learning you can go for the distance learning program. It’s a field of education that primarily focuses on teaching methods and technology on individual basis or classroom basis to students who are not physically present in a traditional educational classroom. Not so popular in India in the past but now it’s gaining the popularity and demand for those aspirants who want to seek higher education from their home or while working.

Ways of Distance Education

There are two methods through which you can apply for distance education program: synchronous learning and asynchronous learning.

Synchronous Learning: It is basically a virtual classroom setup where all participants are present at the same time though not physically but remotely according to a fixed timetable. The main sources and ways of synchronous learning are Web conferencing, videoconferencing, Educational television, Instructional television based on the technologies like direct-broadcast satellite (DBS), internet radio, live streaming, telephone, and web-based VoIP.

Asynchronous Learning: This is the traditional way of distance education where there is no fixed timetable or time period for learning the course. Participants access course materials on their own schedule. Mail correspondence, message board forums, e-mail, video and audio recordings, print materials, voicemail and fax are the different ways of learning the course while sitting at home.

Distance Education in India: In India, where we cover more than 1/7th of the world’s population, lack in education is still a very important cause of concern. For those who do not get the proper resource of learning at their native places can apply for the distance course to accomplish their dreams. Although India is yet not so developed where you can get the web classes through conferencing but still you can opt for asynchronous ways of learning where you get the study material at your home and after preparing the subject can give the examination at their specific centers. Many Universities are now offering this course in various subjects and whether you go for graduation or post-graduation options are available for both.

Top Universities Of India Offering the Distant Education program: You can apply for any course from the top Universities offering the distance courses. They are:

• Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), New Delhi
• Annamalai University Directorate of Distance Education, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu
• Dr B R Ambedkar Open University (DBROU) Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh
• Delhi University School of Open Learning (DUSOL), University of Delhi Campus, Delhi
• Karnataka State Open University (KSOU), Mysore, Karnataka
• Kannur University School of Distance Education, Kannur, Kerala
• Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, Udupi, Karnataka
• Nalanda Open University, Patna, Bihar
• Sikkim-Manipal University of Health, Medical & Technological Sciences (SMUHMTS) Distance Education, Gangtok, Sikkim
• Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning (SCDL), Pune, Maharashtra

Distance education can be a good way of teaching yourself if you do not find a regular time to go to classes or for those who do not find the sources or colleges in the native place. People who are working professionally and do not find proper time to attend the classes can also opt for this course for higher education.