The government has said that telecast of educational programmes resumed to a large extent through the satellites of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). Giving this information in a written reply in the Lok Sabha, the Minister of State for Human Resource Development, Dr D Purandeswari said that 82 Tele-education networks with more than 55 thousand terminals are deployed in 25 states and three union territories across the country.

She said, presently 60 networks are operational and ten are in advanced stage of operationalization. The Minister said, action is initiated with users for making the remaining 12 networks operational.

AIR Correspondent reports that the satellite-based Tele-education has unique advantage of reaching the unreached in the remote and far-flung areas of the country. Tele-education supplements the curriculum-based teaching, imparts effective teachers’ training, and provides access to quality resource persons by providing connectivity to schools, colleges and other educational institutions. The Minister said the government has allocated 18.51 crore rupees for 2012-13 as against 15.89 crore rupees in 2011-12.