Educomp launches paid CBSE math portal for class 6-12

New Delhi, July 26 (UNI) Those children whose biggest fear in school is Math, can now look forward to a fun and easy way of getting over their fear and getting around the dreaded subject.

Educomp Solutions Ltd, a leading e-learning solutions provider today launched the new online anytime-anywhere learning initiative -- Mathguru.com -- an 24x7 math-help programme for students from Class VI to Class XII, following the CBSE, NCERT math curriculum in the country.

''High-student-teacher ratio, limited problem solving at school and even more limited homework assistance from parents at home are among the chief reasons that motivated us to develop Mathguru,'' Educomp MD Shantanu Prakash told reporters here.

''We have pumped in Rs 3.5 crore in developing the solutions, and will be putting in an additional Rs 2.5 crore by next year, to meet our target of 200 schools in 27 cities by March 2007, primarily in the northern and southern regions, where we have a strong presence. We hope to take that number to 500 schools by 2008,'' Mr Prakash added.

The solutions, developed by over 60 people in Educomp over a year, can be be available by subscribing to the portal, www.mathguru.com, and will cost Rs 1,200 per annum per student.

However, in cases where an entire school wants subscription for the bulk of its students, the company would provide a special discount of 20-25 per cent, the MD said.

The company is also planning to expand the availability of these solutions to students from Class III onwards from the next academic year.

''Right now, we are targetting only Classes VI to XII, but we do plan to enter the schools from Class III itself from April, 2007,'' he added.

The company is in talks with the DPS and the Bal Bharti Group of schools. Currently, the company is not looking at government schools, but will be leveraging them in a big way soon.

''Firstly in government schools, internet taxes are not too great and secondly, children studying in these schools are comparatively slower and take more time to get comfortable with technology-related education. But we have a very good relationship with the government which we hope to further by making these solutions in their schools soon,'' Mr Prakash said.

Mathguru will provide detailed explanation to students in terms of practising problems, understanding the key concepts and completing homework. It will help students learn how to solve problems as per their curriculum, text books and syllabus.

Math experts use a virtual notebook and pen to illustrate the solution in their own voices, and the student can select specific questions, check out the solution, and replay it any number of times.

With the launch of this portal, Educomp is looking to tap the estimated Rs 7,000 crore private tutoring, of which math tutorials constitute over one-third, at a fraction of the cost.

Headquartered in Delhi, Educomp covers around 75,000 students, with its other solutions namely -- smart_class, ICT solutions, Quest programme and Mentoraide. Present across 27 locations in the country, it employs more than 1,000 professionals, and has a fully-owned subsidiary in the US.

Educomp, which works with over 2,000 schools across India, US and Singapore, has partnerships with Microsoft, Intel, Wipro, World-Links, among others.

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