Distance Education in India – Past, Present and Future

Nowadays, distance education in India is getting extremely popular as it can bridge the student potential of the country and the industrial demand for experienced workforce in the best way. Here, we are going to talk about the past downsides, present scenario and future prospect of the inexpensive, reachable and flexible Indian distance education programs. 

Past downsides:

The concept of distance education is not an ancient one in our country. If we look back into the history of distance education in India, we will find that distance learning was always considered as the very last choice for pursuing education. Due to the presence of the ‘distance’ factor between the candidates and the institutes in this learning method, it was treated like nothing but a backup option for those who are denied admission or are unable to afford different regular programs. Even there was lack of appropriate communication, sufficient resources and efficient management which led people to put it into the backseat. 

Present scenario:

With the latest technology boom as well as globalization, the ‘distance’ or gap between the teachers and the learners has shrunken considerably which has a deep positive impact on the distance education in India. More and more schools, colleges and universities have launched their own directorates of distance education for providing first-rate education and meeting the requirements of people of different levels in the society. From students to working professionals, everybody can fulfill their dream with this excellent method of learning these days.

Future prospect:

Today there are a large number of distance education universities in India, and the number has been growing rapidly with the rising population of the country. India has been trying to come up as the next ‘Economic Super Power’, and that’s why many new distance learning institutes are being established around the country with each passing day to promote higher education among each and every stage of the society. Not only common homemakers or admission-denied students but a huge number of young aspirants are also opting for distance education recently in order to make the most of their learning opportunities. Hence, it can be said that distance education in India is the only way to satisfy the mass education dream of the country and fulfill the constitutional commitment of ‘Education for All’.