Governor launches interactive VSAT channels of VTU

Bangalore, May 28 (UNI) The Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) of Karnataka became the first varsity in the country to have two channels for training and education purposes with the launch of a state-of-the-art interactive VSAT Channel today.

Governor T N Chaturvedi launched the interactive Channel with diverse features.

Following the successful demonstration of the efficacy of the satellite system for distance education in Engineering Colleges in the state, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has, provided an interactive VSAT Channel, which has a two-way video and a two-way audio feature to the first batch of 30 selected colleges.

Currently, VTU was using DTH Channel and transmitting live sessions from its studio situated at DSERT campus in Bangalore. Of the 121 Engineering Colleges, the ISRO has identified 30 colleges as Batch-1 colleges to get the proposed VSAT channel based on utilisation and response to the current DTH Channel by the Colleges and on the location of the Colleges.

The Principals of these 30 Colleges would sign an MoU with VTU and ISRO to ensure full utlisation of VTU-EDUSAT network- both DTH and VSAT Channels.

The ISRO would provide the necessary VSAT, Hub and Teaching end support, while VTU would coordinate with various Engineering colleges affiliated to it and manage the VSAT network, which was part of the overall VTU-EDUSAT network currently being in full operation.

VTU was into satellite-based and web-based education since August 2003. It was the first university in the country to network all its 121 affiliated engineering colleges in the state under the ISRO's prestigious EDUSAT project.

Realising the growing demand for an interactive satellite-based distance education system for the country through audio-visual medium, the ISRO launched EDUSAT, the first exclusive satellite for serving the educational sector in September 2004.

UNI