Sikkim Manipal University Distance Education Ranked Among Indias Top Distance Education

Sikkim Manipal University “” Distance Education (SMU-DE) , a unique public-private initiative between the Government of Sikkim and Manipal Education, Ranked #1 in the student perception survey conducted by CAREERS360, a magazine for young professionals in collaboration with Yahoo.

With over 710+ SMU-DE Learning Centers covering 310 cities across India, Sikkim Manipal University – Distance Education emerged as the top distance education learning provider across parameters ranging from quality of study material, library support, quality of faculty, access to study centers, conduct of exams and publishing of results among others. SMU-DE was also found to have one of the largest presences on the web with over 500+ unique IP addresses, showing the substantial reach technology could achieve.

SMU-DE spokesperson Mr. V Sivaramakrishnan, President – Distributed Learning, Manipal Education says “We are thrilled to be ranked among India”s premier Distance Education providers in the country. In line with the vision of providing affordable & accessible education to aspirants across the country, our endeavor is to collaborate technology with high quality education, providing a learning experience that”s incomparable.”

In one of the most extensive exercises undertaken in the field of distance learning, the survey elicited over 7000 responses from current and past students of distance learning. For the analysis, over 5000 entries, which ranked over 81 Universities, were taken into consideration. After eliminating those with less than 50 responses and unique IP addresses, the research team finally zeroed in on 30 top distance learning providers which were subjected to detailed analysis.

In the objective ranking, Sikkim Manipal University – Distance Education was ranked 4th on various parameters including reach, course offerings, processes, pass ratio and transparency. Interestingly, only 11 out of the 32 top distance learning providers in the objective ranking list made it to the perception ranking which hailed SMU-DE as a top provider of distance learning education in India.

The Universe for Open and Distance Learning Institutes (ODLIs) in India comprises 249 institutes, out of which 188 institutes are currently offering Distance Learning Programmes.

Over the years, SMU-DE has consistently raised standards in Distance Learning space and earned its place of pride. Some of the recognitions & awards received include:

“Ranked 1st for Results and Efficiency and Ranked 2nd for Learning and Experience by CAREERS360 magazine for the year 2010. The CAREER360 survey is the first of its kind survey in distance learning space and ranks SMU-DE in the top 3 best distance learning institutions in India.
“Best B-School offering Management Education through Distance mode at 2nd Asia”s Best B-school awards
“Dewang Mehta Business School Awards- Best Distance Learning programme
“DNA-Best B-School for the use of Technology in providing Management Education in Distance Education
“Star News- Best Management Education in Distance Education
“Winner of e-India and e-Rajasthan Awards for Digital Learning ICT enabled University of the Year”

Pros And Cons Of Overseas Education

Today, studying abroad for various study program have become a trend among Indian students and. every year thousands of Indian students apply in various Universities abroad. Universities in US and UK receive high numbers of Indian applicants for their various regular and vocational courses. Overseas education is indeed a big breakthrough in someones career and promises him/her many wonderful career opportunities ahead. Today, overseas education is not limited among the people of higher status and elite class but many middle class families across India and other countries of the world are also sending their children for overseas education for a bright future and well paid job.

There are various advantages of studying abroad; the first one is concerned with academics. You would find wide spectrum of courses in a foreign university with excellent education system and infrastructure. They use modern technique of teaching applications with highly qualified and proficient faculty.

The safe and sound environment of the university makes you very feel comfortable to get adjusted in a foreign land. You also get incredible chance to meet students of different nationalities and religions. It gives you plenty of exposure and knowledge about various cultures and creed. The exposure you receive from studying abroad would be very helpful in your career building and life. Pursuing education from a prestigious foreign university opens the doors of countless job opportunities for you. You are being offered a high paid job, respectable position and many other perks

Studying in foreign land also makes you proficient in the language of the country. For instance, if you are seeking overseas education from UK, US or New-Zealand where official language is English, you would be able to learn the language and gradually become a Master in English. Studying abroad also gives you wonderful opportunities to travel to other neighboring countries which would give you plenty of exposure and knowledge. You have a global network of social contacts by studying abroad.

Overseas education also gives you opportunity to work at your spare time thus, you get work experience as well and for some companies work experience is also an important requirement before recruiting the candidate. Studying abroad helps students to become more mature, confident and resilient and all such qualities are counted at their workplace.

However, everything has a flipside as well and overseas education also comes with certain demerits. Though overseas education promises you great future and rewarding jobs but it is very expensive for a middle class family to send their children for a higher education in US, UK etc. Most of these families take loans or other financial aids to sponsor the education.

Overseas Education – Gain Exceptional Exposure

Education is an integral part of ones professional career. The institute, University, location and the degree itself all of this is extremely essential and severely affects an individuals professional decision. The fact that cannot be ignored is that an education degree from a college or University of repute gets higher chances of getting employed in renowned commercial houses. However, with passing times, the importance of education has been known and today the meaning and definition of education has broadened, it is not just about acquiring dream jobs in the corporate sector but also about opening up minds and becoming aware. Along with the meaning, the system of education has also grown and improved!

The global system of education in todays era has opened up diverse opportunities for inquisitive students to learn and explore. Overseas education has emerged as a popular and rather a beneficial choice of study amongst young aspirants. Ambitious students fly out to different destinations of the world not just to enjoy high standards of education but also to benefit from an opportunity to learn and experience new cultures and traditions. Global education has created a huge world of opportunities. Several students from India too wish to experience the new era of education and benefit from varied potential professional opportunities.

Globalization is the key reason behind the increasing number of students wanting to pursue their learning abroad. However, if theres no pain there will b no gain! To acquire the global standards of learning, one has to undergo intensive preparations for acing the competitive entrance examinations. Even after getting into their choice of education institutes or Universities, the students studying abroad have to undergo intensive training for gaining the holistic knowledge and skill of their chosen profession and become industry ready professionals.

Faculties comprising of experienced academicians, excellent infrastructure and exceptional placement opportunities all make global education the most lucrative and desired choice of study. Another advantage of studying abroad is the confidence and independence that comes with living alone, facing different challenges and interacting with other students from different nationalities. Overseas education is exposure to the entire globe as one studies varied topics relevant to global community, spend quality time students from different nationalities and also get an opportunity to visit and explore beautiful places of the world.

Canada is a popular travel destination of the world. It has to its pride mesmerizing beauty and enriching cultural heritage. Also this exotic country is famed for a excellent system of education. Besides other professional courses, management programs are very popular in Canada. Numerous ambitious students seek to pursue their MBA in Canada and acquire professional understanding of the commercial world. Also extremely famous and popular is PhD in UK. The course gets its popularity from the intensive training techniques adopted by talented academicians who impart finest quality teaching and guidance to youthful learners.

Changes That Must Be Introduced In Our Education System

When a country introduces its educational plan it must see that it applies and caters to the local needs and aspirations of the country at large. In India the tragic appearance of education is clear because it does not really mean to our local needs.

The Education system that we are following today is the same system the English framed for Indians in the 19th century. They had planned it for us from their point of view as they needed a lot of babus for their offices in India. They never wanted to give Indians the education that would make them something higher than the babu. Now, from their point of view, the system was correct and viable. However, tredegy is that even after 50 years of independence, we still continue to follow the system of education framed by the English for us. We have never bothered to study the application and utility of the education we are imparting to our children.

After independence there has been a mushroom growth of schools and colleges but education remained at the level of 50% of the population. Then the moot point now is what has been the utility of these myriads of education homes that have grown in the last 50 years? The growth of these institutions has also been sporadic. Most cities and town have seen growth in the number of schools and colleges but the rural areas which consist of 70 80% of Indias population could not share with this growth.

This has resulted in the present precarious scenario. The cities and towns are producing millions of graduates and post graduates and even literacy is a matter of the future in our villages. What a huge gap in the progress of urban and rural areas. Besides this, what the towns are producing are also graduates and post graduates good nor nothing. Why because even after 5 years, a post graduate comes out of Institution he does not get employment.

It appears as if we have never studied the requirements of our country when we planned and changed our education system. We have never cared to understand what are we trying to produce? We are only producing an unemployable, disgruntled, unhappy generation. In a way I would say their disillusionment after education is quite understandable when, after 5 years of work and spending lot money they come out of the college and stand at the crossroads not knowing what to do next. We could not understand what we plan to give children by way of education?

Our education system needs a thorough overhaul which would relate to the requirement of our own country and not of the other countries. The first and foremost objective of education is to get a decent employment, if this is also not available then what have we done? We must instead of opening colleges for graduation open more institutions for vocational training. This, I suggest could very well take its birth at the school stage only. Instead of first memorizing subjects, more stress should be laid on extra curricular activities, which will automatically generate interest in the children for the fun they like. This fun of the school will further bloom into a vocation, when they enter a college of vocation or general studies as they like.

General studies should be compulsory till standard XII and after that, I feel vocation should be the training ground to prepare the children for jobs and assignments of employment.

Besides this, it is more important to lay greater stress on school education rather than on higher education. This is because, it is at the school level the child learns all his human behaviours which last him a lifetime. Higher education must be limited to those who are really interested in higher studies and who like to go to the teaching profession, all others should be diverted to centres of vocational training. This would help them in their profession after they complete their education.

The engineering and medical colleges should be only for meritorious students who can work and gain name and fame for themselves and do India proud.

So much for education in urban areas, let us not forget our rural areas because, India lives in villages. Unless we spread the fruits of progress to our villages the progress will be lop-sided and incomplete. In rural areas, literacy should be the target though at the same time, encouragement should be given to some brilliant children there also,m to enter the mainstream of urban development. In this way we will spread progress to villages instead of bringing villages to urban areas.

Thus, education, as it stands today is cumbersome and tiring for the children, and then frustrating and suicidal when they develop into adults. The world stands in front of them as a vacuum with nothing to offer. If we adapt our education asp per the needs of our countryment and our country, we will make a better turnout and create a better tomorrow.

How To Improve Rural Education In India

Indian literacy rate in the year 2011 census was 74.04 Government of India has taken several measures to improve the literacy rate in villages and towns of India. State Governments has been directed to ensure and improve literacy rate in districts and villages where people are very poor. There has been a good improvement in literacy rate of India in last 10 years but there is still a long way to go.

Many children living in rural areas receive a level of education which is very poor. But City areas level of education is very good.
To compare with city education and rural education:
“There are many schools in cities and towns but there are very few schools in villages and the rural areas.

“Transportation facilities like bus pick and in city schools where as children in rural areas have to walk miles to reach their schools.

“Basic amenities like no drinking water in provided in some of the schools in villages.

“Level of education in City schools is far advanced as compared to the basic level taught in rural schools.

“Computer facility is there city areas but no computer facility in villages.

“Group classes are taken by using video conferencing and audio conferencing in City schools where as no such facilities are provided for students in rural schools.

“The teachers are given tools like laptops, printers to provide notes and other important notices to the children in city schools while there are no such facilities in the rural schools.

“School infrastructure in case of cities areas is much more advanced as compared to that in schools in rural areas where some times children are even made to sit on the floor due to non-availability of furniture.

” School education in city areas is more advanced especially since there is a lot of computer aided teaching.
“Apart from the course curriculum rural schools are not able to involve children in other activities like sports, co-curricular activities and competitions. Such events and activities tend help in the over all development of the children.

Government of several measures India has taken to improve the education in villages and towns of India. But some step to improve rural side education.
List of Steps taken by Government of India to improve rural areas side education in India:

Step1: To provide free standard education to rural children.
Step2: Supporting children for higher education.
Step3: Guiding and Supporting Research scholars in Educational Development.
Step4: Implementing new teaching methodologies and Assessment system.
Step5: Promoting all schools to stress free environment.
Step6: Free education programs to poor people living in villages.
Step7: To provide Free Internet facility.
Step8: In our schools in rural side monthly once arrange seminar on any one topic example how to develop our communication?
Step9: In rural side must to teach spoken English. Because in this world English is very important. Most of the country speaking in English so rural side the government takes the step to provide free spoken English.
Step10: Maintain rank card system. Giving gift to top ranking students.
Step11: Extra caring to teach the poor students.
Step12: Yearly twice arranges the industrial visit.
Step13: Arrange the bus facility.
Step14: Maintain uniform education for all states. The Government of Tamil Nadu has been implemented the Common School System is called “Samacheer Kalvi” or Tamil Nadu Uniform System of School Education or Equitable education system. This is very good System. This System purpose is to make same quality syllabus which can stop discrimination based on economy, caste, religion and background for all school boards in Tamil Nadu. If we will have uniform education system in the states poor children can get more advantages of better education.