Zee Business Ranks IMT CDL As The Top Distance Learning Institution in India

Nov. 8, 2012 - PRLog -- IMT CDL (Centre for Distance Learning), has been rated as the number one distance learning institution in India. In a survey conducted by the esteemed Zee Business Channel, eminent experts in the field of higher education, were invited to choose the best institutions that conduct distance learning programmes in the country.

The Zee Business Experts panel surveyed schools on 10 different parameters which included every facet of distance learning. 8 out of 10 of these parameters were given a weightage of 10%. These parameters were Research and Consulting, Course content, Quality of course material, Course Delivery mode, Exclusive Faculty members, Library facility (Online & Offline), Industrial acceptability, and usage of technology in content delivery. The highest weightage of 15% was given to the Personal Contact Programme, while 5% weightage was given to the Examination system.

In the first stage of this survey, all distance learning institutes which responded to these parameters were short listed. Out of these, the top 10 were selected on the basis of the points they garnered on all the 10 parameters. Finally, IMT CDL emerged as the first amongst equals.

Speaking to Zee Business on the IMT Rankings, Dr A.M.Sherry, Director and Dean, IMT Ghaziabad, elaborated that distance learning programmes like the ones conducted by IMT CDL are majorly the need of working professionals who do not want to leave there jobs and housewives who want to increase their employability. “At IMT CDL, we have observed that a distance learning programme which makes good use of technology to impart its industry-relevant and innovative content is a boon for working professionals, as well as housewives who want to further their education. For such people IMT CDL moved on from a physical library to online library. Earlier, IMT CDL would have study-centres but now our classes and content can be accessed from homes or work places or even on the move,” Dr. A.M. Sherry pointed out.

Dr Rakesh Mohan Joshi, Chairman, IMT Ghaziabad, observed that most of the distance learning programmes are still being run as correspondence courses. “In IMT CDL, we experimented with ICT and found that we could easily make a quality expert or faculty available across our 45 Centres – for a student in Chennai, to another in Chandigarh, to one in Jaipur – almost immediately. The faculty can actually see his or her entire Distance Learning Class in miniature boxes on the screen – and vice versa – and interact with them. Unfortunately, unlike IMT CDL, institutes are not using technology effectively for their distance learning programmes. In the next stage, we intend going global with our curriculum through the use of this technology.”

Dr A.M.Sherry is confident that with the paradigm shift being witnessed in the distance learning programmes in India, IMT CDL is poised for a phenomenal growth. “From business simulation techniques to examinations, all are possible online, today. The institutes that are innovatively using technology are on the top of your list. IMT CDL firmly believes that the future belongs to e-learning.”