Punjab ties up with ISRO for EDUSAT programmes for schools

Chandigarh, Jul 15 (UNI) The Punjab Government has started a flagship programme in collaboration with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to provide quality education to students residing in the remotest corners of state through satellite.

Informing this her today Education Minister Upinderjit Kaur said that ISRO had supplied 300 SITs (Satellite Interactive Terminals) to Punjab EDUSAT Society for this purpose which have been installed in various senior secondary schools, ITIs, polytechnics, degree colleges and engineering colleges all over the State. The central EDUSAT network hub and the broadcast studios have already been installed in the premises of Punjab School Education Board, Mohali.

The state government has provided Rs 10 crore for this project during the year 2008-09.

The Minister added as a trial broadcast on the EDUSAT network, a crash course programme for AIEEE, IIT/JEE, CET/PMT was held last month, which was successful and many of the students could get admission in prestigious professional institutions. In the sequence of its success, the society has worked out the coaching programmes to be relayed on EDUSAT platform from for two hours daily immediately after school hours.

However, as of now the timings have been fixed from 1430 hours to 1630 hours. The best faculty available in India had been roped in for this programme.

Education Minister further said that this programme is free for the plus one and plus two students of government schools.

However, under this programme, those students who have already passed 10+2 examination, as well as the students studying in the private institutions, would also be eligible for enrolment. Such students would have to pay Rs 1000 as a lumpsum amount as enrolment fee to the society.

She requested the parents and the students to take the full benefit of the programme. The heads of educational institutions and subject teachers would be present at the time of broadcast in their EDUSAT classrooms.

The Minister added that 173 SITs are fully operational in all Senior Secondary Schools with science stream. The Punjab EDUSAT Society would purchase another 210 SITs at the earliest.

The society would also start a project on soft skills which would enhance the employment opportunities. In schools, lectures on every Saturday would also be delivered by professionals on employment opportunities.

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