The advent of the Internet introduced innovative ways of education, which were far more efficient and less costly than the conventional classroom approach. Online learning or e-learning has had an impact on all areas of training ranging from engineering to accounting to business management and IT.

Currently, instructor-led training (ILT) accounts for 87% of the total training market in the Asia-Pacific region. By 2004, IDC expects this to drop to 74% as e-learning and CD-ROM challenge ILT as alternative mediums of delivery. While e-learning is not a solution for every training need, it definitely offers a good low-cost answer to complement the prevailing traditional training mechanisms.

IT training majors in India wer quick enough to see the potential offered by this medium. Players like NIIT, ZILS and Aptech already enjoy a strong presence in the area.

R Krishnan, senior V-P and head, Aptech Online, says, "Online education is a convenient, cost-effective way of implementing learning in organizations without requiring the person to be away from work." Although working professionals are the main users in this segment , other segments such as students, housewives are also being targeted.

"Online learning amounts to the clearly visible paradigm shift in the methodology and acceptance of new modes of training," adds Joseph Chacko, head of education services operations at Tata Infotech.

Indian e-learning scenario

In India, the IT training sector is driven by the individual rather that the corporate training segment. The total IT training market estimated by DQ in 1999-00 stood at Rs 1,752 crore. Of this, the individual demand stood at a solid Rs 1,588 crore with a 33% growth rate. As far as corporate training is concerned, with the growing demand for IT professionals in the Asia-Pacific region, e-learning is increasingly being viewed as an effective means. Yet, the demand for corporate training in India stood at a mere Rs 164 crore in 1999-00 with an estimated growth rate of 15%. "The dynamism of the skill enhancement requirements will force training managers to evaluate and adopt virtual classrooms," feels Chacko.

The Indian online learning market scenario is dcurrently ominated by IT training, with non-IT related training yet to establish itself. The reason for this is two-fold. As Shantanu Prakash, CEO, Educomp Datamatics, puts it, "Except in the field of infotech training, there are very few content creation companies available and even fewer is the availability of solution providers. Also, setting up an e-learning site is an extremely complicated task."

Online IT training in India

is being led by NIIT (www.netvarsity.com) and Aptech (www.aptechonlinevarsity.com). They provide courses ranging form computer fundamentals to designing Web pages to Java. Then there are other players such as SSI and Zee Interactive Learning Systems, which are fast emerging as front runners. Netvarsity’s CEO PK Vijay Kumar talks about the relationship between the online netvarsity and the brick-centric model: Students can take part in sessions online and obtain certifications from the nearest NIIT center, he says. These two models effectively compliment each other. He mentions about the 150,000 registered users of netvarsity and the 4.5 million page views per month that it receives.

Globsyn Technologies recently launched its ‘knowledge pub’ initiative which combines both the CBT and online modules.

The scope of e-learning is not totally limited to IT-related training. Non-IT training is also attracting both big and small vendors. Many international universities and institutes too, attracted by Internet’s cutting-edge distinction and promise of more students and revenues, are offering online courses. This has made it possible to secure educational degree from foreign universities without ever going out of India. "Individuals will be encouraged to take up short-term skill enhancement programs to equip themselves. This trend is already visible and acceptance of e-learning is gaining momentum," says Chacko.

The benefits of online training include flexible timings for students and savings in terms of physical infrastructure for vendors. Some companies in India are adopting the e-learning approach. At Cisco, all kinds of training requirements are available online. At LG too, most of the training systems are available online, says Dr YV Verma, V-P, HR and MS.

Interactive distance learning (IDL) is a new concept, which is ready to be launched by Hughes Escorts Communications (HECL). Among the first of its kind in India, it aims at live broadcasts of teaching sessions from a central studio through VSAT to locations across India. Says Amit Tripathi, V-P, IDL, HECL, "This is the first such project of its kind in India. It will incorporate two-way audio and one-way video transfer". HECL will initially be targeting the corporate users of its VSAT network besides the mass-market segment where training in areas ranging from sales management to preparation of entrance exams will be imparted.

According to John Chambers, president and CEO, Cisco Systems, "The Internet and education are two fundamental equalizers in life. E-learning eliminates the barriers of time and distance, creating on-demand universal learning opportunities for people, companies and countries alike."

With e-learning, the education and training segment is acquiring a learner-centric focus. High-quality content will soon become the new differentiator.

AMIT SARKAR in New Delhi