Aptech Joins University Domain

PRIVATE IT training major Aptech has set up a University in Raipur,

Chattisgarh, that would offer normal bachelors and masters courses. The new

university, that is expected to go live by June-July this year, would take in

its first batch and subsequently start its courses from this academic year. The

university has already set up a college under its aegis in Chennai and will set

up two more in Delhi and somewhere in Central/Eastern India by the end of the

year.

The university would initially have an intake of 500-600 students, while the

different Aptech centers across the country would function as study centers.

This marks the entry of a private IT training player into the domain of normal

full-fledged universities. However, this might soon emerge as a trend, since

NIIT is soon expected to follow suit. Informs Pramod Khera, MD, Aptech,

"Other than standard courses, the university would be offering different

technology-related innovative subjects like embedded technologies, multimedia

and networking amongst others. And apart from students across the country, we

are also targeting people from abroad."

Aptech's own courses have already been internationally accorded university

status. Last year Aptech was accredited by the Sudan University of Science &

Technology to offer Bachelor in Science and Information Technology degree to

students undergoing its comprehensive international ACCP World Program. Quizzed

about the choice of Raipur as a venue, Khera revealed that the three

recently-formed states of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Uttaranchal had passed

legislative Acts allowing the setting up of private universities. Raipur was

favored due to its central location.

After two dull years for the training sector, Aptech is expecting a

turnaround this year and might end up crossing the Rs 400-crore barrier.

According to Khera, at least 10% of the total revenues would come from its new

businesses, which include the university as well as online software testing and

content management BPO. In 2003-04, Aptech had also did some work for National

Insurance Company and even the armed forces.

Rajneesh De in Mumbai