Bihar Technical Institutes To Be Linked With Edusat

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will help over two dozen technical institutions in Bihar to link with Edusat - the satellite launched in 2004 for interactive class-room teaching across the country.

Bihar science and technology secretary Ajay Kumar Thakur Tuesday said ISRO would provide the necessary infrastructure for starting e-learning projects in several technical institutions in the state.

Thakur said all 13 polytechnics and three existing engineering colleges in Bihar would enjoy this facility. It will later be extended to seven proposed engineering colleges, besides the Patna branches of National Institute of Technology (NIT) and Birla Institute of Technology (BIT) - Mesra.

ISRO will install a centralised hub in Patna free of cost and also provide high-speed connectivity. 'The government will set up satellite interactive class-rooms that will prepare content for e-learning and also develop course material,' Thakur said.

ISRO will invest Rs.10.5 million for the project, while the state will put in over Rs.30 million. A technical team will visit Ahmedabad to work out the modalities and a team from ISRO will make a presentation in Patna later this month.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) will soon be signed between the state government and ISRO in this regard, said Thakur.