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ONLINE TRAINING: Vying to Be the Hottest...

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DQI Bureau
New Update

The advent of the Internet introduced innovative ways of education, which

were far more efficient and less costly than the conventional classroom

approach. Online learning or e-learning has had an impact on all areas of

training ranging from engineering to accounting to business management and IT.

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Currently, instructor-led training (ILT) accounts for 87% of the total

training market in the Asia-Pacific region. By 2004, IDC expects this to drop to

74% as e-learning and CD-ROM challenge ILT as alternative mediums of delivery.

While e-learning is not a solution for every training need, it definitely offers

a good low-cost answer to complement the prevailing traditional training

mechanisms.

IT training majors in India wer quick enough to see the potential offered by

this medium. Players like NIIT, ZILS and Aptech already enjoy a strong presence

in the area.

R Krishnan, senior V-P and head, Aptech Online, says, "Online education

is a convenient, cost-effective way of implementing learning in organizations

without requiring the person to be away from work." Although working

professionals are the main users in this segment , other segments such as

students, housewives are also being targeted.

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"Online learning amounts to the clearly visible paradigm shift in the

methodology and acceptance of new modes of training," adds Joseph Chacko,

head of education services operations at Tata Infotech.

Indian e-learning scenario

In India, the IT training sector is driven by the individual rather that the

corporate training segment. The total IT training market estimated by DQ in

1999-00 stood at Rs 1,752 crore. Of this, the individual demand stood at a solid

Rs 1,588 crore with a 33% growth rate. As far as corporate training is

concerned, with the growing demand for IT professionals in the Asia-Pacific

region, e-learning is increasingly being viewed as an effective means. Yet, the

demand for corporate training in India stood at a mere Rs 164 crore in 1999-00

with an estimated growth rate of 15%. "The dynamism of the skill

enhancement requirements will force training managers to evaluate and adopt

virtual classrooms," feels Chacko.

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The Indian online learning market scenario is dcurrently ominated by IT

training, with non-IT related training yet to establish itself. The reason for

this is two-fold. As Shantanu Prakash, CEO, Educomp Datamatics, puts it,

"Except in the field of infotech training, there are very few content

creation companies available and even fewer is the availability of solution

providers. Also, setting up an e-learning site is an extremely complicated

task."

Online IT training in India

is being led by NIIT (www.netvarsity.com)

and Aptech (www.aptechonlinevarsity.com).

They provide courses ranging form computer fundamentals to designing Web pages

to Java. Then there are other players such as SSI and Zee Interactive Learning

Systems, which are fast emerging as front runners. Netvarsity’s CEO PK Vijay

Kumar talks about the relationship between the online netvarsity and the

brick-centric model: Students can take part in sessions online and obtain

certifications from the nearest NIIT center, he says. These two models

effectively compliment each other. He mentions about the 150,000 registered

users of netvarsity and the 4.5 million page views per month that it receives.

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Globsyn Technologies recently launched its ‘knowledge pub’ initiative

which combines both the CBT and online modules.

The scope of e-learning is not totally limited to IT-related training. Non-IT

training is also attracting both big and small vendors. Many international

universities and institutes too, attracted by Internet’s cutting-edge

distinction and promise of more students and revenues, are offering online

courses. This has made it possible to secure educational degree from foreign

universities without ever going out of India. "Individuals will be

encouraged to take up short-term skill enhancement programs to equip themselves.

This trend is already visible and acceptance of e-learning is gaining

momentum," says Chacko.

The benefits of online training include flexible timings for students and

savings in terms of physical infrastructure for vendors. Some companies in India

are adopting the e-learning approach. At Cisco, all kinds of training

requirements are available online. At LG too, most of the training systems are

available online, says Dr YV Verma, V-P, HR and MS.

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Interactive distance learning (IDL) is a new concept, which is ready to be

launched by Hughes Escorts Communications (HECL). Among the first of its kind in

India, it aims at live broadcasts of teaching sessions from a central studio

through VSAT to locations across India. Says Amit Tripathi, V-P, IDL, HECL,

"This is the first such project of its kind in India. It will incorporate

two-way audio and one-way video transfer". HECL will initially be targeting

the corporate users of its VSAT network besides the mass-market segment where

training in areas ranging from sales management to preparation of entrance exams

will be imparted.

According to John Chambers, president and CEO, Cisco Systems, "The

Internet and education are two fundamental equalizers in life. E-learning

eliminates the barriers of time and distance, creating on-demand universal

learning opportunities for people, companies and countries alike."

With e-learning, the education and training segment is acquiring a

learner-centric focus. High-quality content will soon become the new

differentiator.

AMIT SARKAR in New Delhi

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