Career Launchers, HCL Comnet in VSAT-based education tie-up

Our
01 February 2003

New Delhi: Leading education corporate Career Launcher shall commercially start its VSAT-enabled distance education services for the school segment from the coming academic session in April 2003.

HCL Comnet, the leading IT services marketing firm, is the technology partner in the exercise, enabling effective online distance education through VSATs.

The announcement was made by Career Launcher's chairman, Satya Narayanan, following the successful completion of a weeklong VSAT-driven pilot project involving students and teachers. The project was the culmination of three years of academic and technological research and development by Intel Capital-funded Career Launcher.

As part of the pilot project, lectures were provided in biology, chemistry, maths and physics, beamed from HCL Comnet's studio in Noida to Laxman Public School and St Thomas School in New Delhi. The lectures by Career Launcher faculty were received at the schools at predetermined time slots, synchronously with return audio channel, addressing a class of up to 70 students.

Says S Barathy, VP (technology), HCL Comnet: “At HCL Comnet we have been pioneers of VSAT technology. This pilot project for schools reinforces HCL Comnet's focus in the education sector. The successful implementation of this project substantiates our innovation with technology and our endeavour to provide the best and the most cost-effective value propositions to our customers.“

Adds Narayanan: “We have, from our inception in 1995, used technology to leverage our brick-and-mortar strengths. With the use of cutting-edge educational technologies, Career Launcher is now ready to service a far larger and diverse student population than its present strength of 10,000 plus, spread over 32 cities in India and the Gulf. Happily, this technology will help bring down the cost of education for every household.