ELECTRONIC MEDIA IN THE SERVICE OF DISTANCE EDUCATION

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Educational channels are in existence in India for over three years. Since the launch of Gyan Darshan on January 26, 2000, the bouquet of educational TV channels today has three completely digital and round-the-clock channels. In November 2001, a FM radio channel called Gyan Vani was started which too has expanded manifold in its content and reach.

Gyan Darshan

Gyan Darshan offers interesting and informative programmes for different categories of users such as pre-school kids, primary and secondary school children, college/university students, youth seeking career opportunities, housewives and adults. These programmes are contributed by major educational institutions including IGNOU, UGC/CEC*, NCERT/CIET*, Directorate of Adult Education, IITs, TTTIs* and other educational/developmental organisations. The time slots are convenient and the programmes are prepared with the help of experts in the field and experienced production teams. Programmes from abroad are also broadcast to offer the viewer a window to the world.

Gyan Darshan transmissions, uplinked from the earth station of EMPC-IGNOU New Delhi, can be accessed all over the country throughout the year and round the clock without any break. Gyan Darshan signals can be conveniently received without any special equipment.

Gyan Darshan I

This is the main Gyan Darshan channel. Its programmes include the ‘countrywide classroom’ produced by CEC/UGC, ‘technovision’ produced by IITs and ‘Bhasha Mandakini’ produced by the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan. Bhasha Mandakini, launched on September 5, 2003, Under Bhasha Mandakini, the ‘Sanskrit Bhasha’ language series of programmes are developed by the Rasthriya Sanskrit Sansthan in collaboration with other Sanskrit institutes of higher learning such as the Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth (Tirupati), Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth (Delhi) and other Sanskrit institute and universities of repute. Bhasha mandakini is planned to include all languages in the course of time.

Gyan Darshan 2 and TDCC

Gyan Darshan-2 is devoted entirely to interactive distance education.

Gyan Darshan-2 and TDCC (Training & Development Communication Channel) are one-way video and two-way audio satellite-based interactive systems. Teleconference through Gyan darshan and TDCC essentially follow the same principle except that the former operates on C-band while the latter on extended C. The signals can be received across the country.

TDCC is conceived as a ‘close user group’ and was introduced in 1993 under the aegis of DECU (ISRO) who pioneered the system of one-way video and two-way audio communication system for educational applications. TDCC has 6 up-linking facilities in the country and approximately 1000 downlinks established so far.

Live interaction or teleconference is yet another and the latest intervention in the distance education system. It provides a human face to the otherwise remote and distant learner. The viewers can directly access teachers/experts in the studio during an ongoing programme, express their views and clear their doubts regarding specific topics/issues as the programme goes on. IGNOU provides free interactive telephonic facility in 79 cities through its toll free number 1-600-1-12345 for teleconferencing on Gyan Darshan-2, TDCC and IRC(Delhi).

Eklavya Technology Channel

Eklavya brings quality education to students pursuing engineering education.

Eklavya features lectures of the courses taught at the IITs situated at Kharagpur, Mumbai, Kanpur, Delhi, Guwahati, Roorkee and Chennai.

Gyan Vani

Gyan Vani is an educational FM Radio channel operating through FM stations from various parts of the country. With 10 FM stations at Allahabad, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Vishakhapatnam, Mumbai, Lucknow, Bhopal, Kolkata, Chennai and Delhi already on air in the first half of 2003, the network is slated to expand to a total of 40 stations.

Gyan Vani stations operate as media cooperatives, with day-to-day programmes contributed by various Ministries, educational institutions, NGOs and national level institutions such as IGNOU, NCERT, UGC, IITs and open universities. Each station has a range of about 70 km radius, which covers the entire city/town as well as the surrounding area. Gyan Vani serves as an ideal medium for niche listeners and for addressing local educational, developmental and socio-cultural requirements. The programmes are in English, Hindi and the language of the region. The broadcast duration varies from stations to station, and is in the range of 8-12 hours.

IRC

Besides, IGNOU and All India Radio run a collaborative venture called interactive radio counselling (IRC). Each Sunday, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., IRC is available on 189 radio stations. The programmes are produced in Hindi and English and the AIR stations broadcast IRC in the language suited to their region.

The IRC programmes are prepared by IGNOU. On fourth Sunday of every month the State Open Universities conduct IRCs from Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Bangalore, Patna, Jaipur, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Mumbai.

*

CIET: Central Institute of Educational Technology, a constituent of NCERT

CEC: Consortium of Educational Communication, an inter-university center under UGC

TTTIs: Technical Teachers’ Training Institutes