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Ambitious as it may sound, press reports indicate that the Union Human Resources Development (HRD) ministry plans to launch not 1 but 1,000 educational channels ! The statements do seem outrageously ambitious given the fact that the HRD ministry has not yet cut its teeth with a single 24 hour education channel.
As a first move, the HRD ministry plans to launch 50 educational channels on its own DTH platform.
EDUCATION: START OF TV
It is interesting to note that in India, TV began with educational programmes in 1959. Subsequently, the Satellite Instructional Television Experience (SITE), carried out in 1975-76 commenced Satellite broadcasting, again for education. However, today Scholar TV is the only educational TV channel amongst more than 700 Satellite TV channels. Clearly there is money to be made, as scholar TV is the most expensive pay TV channel in the country.
EXISTING EDUCATION TV CONTENT
The HRD ministry has approved the National Council for Education Research & Training (NCERT) to be the nodal agency for the 24X7 dedicated school education channel "Gyan Darshan". Besides the NCERT, the Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET) and the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) are also working on developing content for the channel. Many other agencies like the Films Division, Doordarshan, Vigyan Prasar, SIETs (State Institutes of Educational Technology), ***** Literacy Department and State SSA departments will also be invited to collaborate in content development.
Currently, educational programmes created by the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) for Doordarshan are run under the head of "Gyan Darshan" during limited time slots on Doordarshan.
The Gyan Darshan channel is to focus on school education & will also be instrumental in the process of teacher training. The Right to Education Act (2010) requires more than 50,000 new teachers. The 24X7 channel could provide considerable help in achieving this mammoth task.
The CIET and NIOS have proposed an estimated expenditure of Rs 6.3 Crore and non-recurring expenditure of about Rs 86 lakh for the Gyan Darshan channel.
SAT EDUCATION
A major constraint for the HRD ministry has been the lack of available time slots on Doordarshan. Hence the HRD ministry has decided to go its own way.
A study on the use of satellite systems for education (carried out by a group set up by the Ministry of HRD) recommended the creation of dedicated educational broadcast channels, both national and also regional (for radio and TV).
To kick start its satellite broadcasting plans, the Union Human Resources Development Ministry has already initiated steps to launch the first 50 roundthe- clock channels at the earliest and approached the I&B ministry for permission.
50 CHANNEL DTH PLATFORM
The HRD ministry has also started the process for appointing a consultant for setting up the infrastructure for the 50 Direct-To-Home (DTH) channels.
According to reports, the country's premier educational institutions have been asked to prepare lectures and educational material that can be telecast on these chanels.
Content for these channels is being prepared by premier educational institutes, they said.
INSAT 4G / GSAT 8
The HRD ministry initiated steps to launch the 50 channels after clearance of a major technological hurdle with the Department of Space assuring the use of two 36 MHz KU Band transponders on the GSAT 8 satellite located at 55 deg East.
The channels are a part of the National Mission of Education through Information and Communication Technology (NME-ICT) initiative.
"While the HRD ministry wanted to start the 50 channels at the earliest, the permission from the information and broadcasting ministry may take a little time as the latest guidelines specify that formation of a company is one of the requirements to start a channel," said a source.
As a first move, the HRD ministry plans to launch 50 educational channels on its own DTH platform.
EDUCATION: START OF TV
It is interesting to note that in India, TV began with educational programmes in 1959. Subsequently, the Satellite Instructional Television Experience (SITE), carried out in 1975-76 commenced Satellite broadcasting, again for education. However, today Scholar TV is the only educational TV channel amongst more than 700 Satellite TV channels. Clearly there is money to be made, as scholar TV is the most expensive pay TV channel in the country.
EXISTING EDUCATION TV CONTENT
The HRD ministry has approved the National Council for Education Research & Training (NCERT) to be the nodal agency for the 24X7 dedicated school education channel "Gyan Darshan". Besides the NCERT, the Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET) and the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) are also working on developing content for the channel. Many other agencies like the Films Division, Doordarshan, Vigyan Prasar, SIETs (State Institutes of Educational Technology), ***** Literacy Department and State SSA departments will also be invited to collaborate in content development.
Currently, educational programmes created by the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) for Doordarshan are run under the head of "Gyan Darshan" during limited time slots on Doordarshan.
The Gyan Darshan channel is to focus on school education & will also be instrumental in the process of teacher training. The Right to Education Act (2010) requires more than 50,000 new teachers. The 24X7 channel could provide considerable help in achieving this mammoth task.
The CIET and NIOS have proposed an estimated expenditure of Rs 6.3 Crore and non-recurring expenditure of about Rs 86 lakh for the Gyan Darshan channel.
SAT EDUCATION
A major constraint for the HRD ministry has been the lack of available time slots on Doordarshan. Hence the HRD ministry has decided to go its own way.
A study on the use of satellite systems for education (carried out by a group set up by the Ministry of HRD) recommended the creation of dedicated educational broadcast channels, both national and also regional (for radio and TV).
To kick start its satellite broadcasting plans, the Union Human Resources Development Ministry has already initiated steps to launch the first 50 roundthe- clock channels at the earliest and approached the I&B ministry for permission.
50 CHANNEL DTH PLATFORM
The HRD ministry has also started the process for appointing a consultant for setting up the infrastructure for the 50 Direct-To-Home (DTH) channels.
According to reports, the country's premier educational institutions have been asked to prepare lectures and educational material that can be telecast on these chanels.
Content for these channels is being prepared by premier educational institutes, they said.
INSAT 4G / GSAT 8
The HRD ministry initiated steps to launch the 50 channels after clearance of a major technological hurdle with the Department of Space assuring the use of two 36 MHz KU Band transponders on the GSAT 8 satellite located at 55 deg East.
The channels are a part of the National Mission of Education through Information and Communication Technology (NME-ICT) initiative.
"While the HRD ministry wanted to start the 50 channels at the earliest, the permission from the information and broadcasting ministry may take a little time as the latest guidelines specify that formation of a company is one of the requirements to start a channel," said a source.