Human Resource Development

The broadcast systems have several limitations when used for educational and development purposes. Includes wastage, and difficulty of coordinating ground support efforts with the broadcast. Besides broadcasting systems do not provide for any interaction, between the resource person and the learner, so essential in an educational and training situation. Teleconferencing is a viable answer to overcome these limitations for empowering human resources.

Teleconferencing is the use of telecommunication systems to enable a group of three or more at two or more locations, to confer with one another.

Teleconferencing can have different technical configuration. Four different forms of teleconferencing widely used.

	Audio teleconferencing
	Audio graphic teleconferencing
	Video teleconferencing (one way video and two way audio or two way video and two way audio)
	Computer teleconferencing

One-Way Video and Two Way Audio
Scope and Objectives
Technical Configuration
Applications
Advantage of TDCC
Major Areas, User Agencies/Organisations and Trainee Groups of TDCC
Important Observations
Growth of TDCC

Future Trends

The Training and Development Communication Channel (TDCC) on INSAT, which provides the 'One-way video and Two-way audio' teleconferencing network for the interactive training and education, is operational since February 1995.

DECU is the nodal agency in ISRO for TDCC with SAC providing the uplink and technology inputs. The system earlier consisted of one extended C-band transponder (Channel-15) of INSAT-2C (on a time sharing basis with JDCP) and two teaching-end facilities (studio and uplink) – one at IGNOU campus, New Delhi (using Transportable Remote Area Communication Terminal (TRACT) of SAC and TV studio of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), and another at SAC campus, Ahmedabad (using Ahmedabad Earth Station (AES) of SAC and TV studio of DECU). In addition, Satellite News Gathering Terminal (SNGT) of ISRO is temporarily located at Madhya Pradesh Academy of Administration (MPAA), Bhopal to provide up-link with lined studio facilities.

The major user agencies include State Governments, Open Universities and Central/State Training/Education Institutes. The major areas of applications are Distance Education, Rural Development, Industrial Sector, etc. The Networks (i.e. DRS/Rx-Terminals and Teaching-end with Uplink Earth-station and TV Studio) are funded and set up by the user/nodal agencies. At Bhopal,MP, it was set up by ISRO under its Jhabua Development Communications (JDCP) Expansion Project.

Three major areas of application have emerged: Distance Education, Rural Development and Industrial Training. In distance education, agencies like IGNOU and AIMA, which offer Degree/Diploma programmes, use the channel to reach out to students and resource persons. In rural development, the state governments and NGOs have been using the channel to conduct training programmes in health, panchayati raj and watershed management for field workers and rural audiences. In the sector of Industrial Training, multi-location organisations like the State Bank of India and National Productivity Council (NPC) have used the network to provide training to in-house participants spread all over the country.

System Overview

The network consists of three major elements: the teaching end, the spacecraft and the classroom. The teaching end consists of a small studio and an uplink earth station. The teaching end originates the training material either in the form of "live" lectures or recorded video programmes from a small studio and uplinks these television signals to a geostationary communication satellite (INSAT) by means of the "uplink" earth station which is located at the teaching end. Four extended C-band transponders on INSAT-3B have now been earmarked for this purpose. The classroom has the DRS/Rx-terminal capable of receiving a signal in extended C-band from the satellite. The talkback is possible through normal STD telephone (and fax) connection provided in the classroom. The question from the classroom is received at the studio and fed to the system so that it is heard live over the network by all. The resource person at the teaching end provides the answer/feedback.

The network earlier was analog and is now being converted to digital. The efforts have also been initiated to introduce new technologies in TDCC network in a phased manner. Digital Transmission and Return Video have been tried out in a few regions on an experimental basis before they are introduced in the TDCC as well as JDCP networks in a full-fledged manner.

Present Status

The state governments of Gujarat, MP, Karnataka, Orissa and Rajasthan, DEP-DPEP/IGNOU, State Open Universities and NGOs like SEWA, etc. are regular users. Total 6 digital channels on INSAT-3B (four on Transponder-15P and two on 16P) are available. More than 2000 DRS/Rx-terminals are available which have been set up (and are under further expansion) by various user agencies covering districts and blocks in the states, IGNOU regional/study centres, DPEP districts, etc. in the country. At present, 6 Teaching-ends are available (at Bhopal, Mysore, Gandhinagar, Cuttack, Ahmedabad and New Delhi). The utilization is about 20-25 days a month with 35-40 Interactive Training Programs (ITPs) with more than one channel on air simultaneously.

The areas of programs and target groups include distance education for students/teachers of schools and colleges, training of district and block level functionaries (in agriculture, health and family welfare, education, forestry, watershed, panchayati raj, Women and Child development, etc.), teachers’ training, etc. Regular feedback studies and evaluation of ITPs are also carried out. The Training in software planning and conduct of ITPs is an important element, as well.

Jhabua Development Communications Project (JDCP), which was started on November 1, 1996 aimed at setting up an operational Satellite- based broadcast and interactive network for development communication and training. More than 2000 programmes were produced and broadcast in JDCP network. The impact of JDCP project showed significant gain in knowledge among the viewers. Based on the encouraging results, JDCP has been expanded to more than 1000 villages in Jhabua, Dhar and Barwani. The network is also being converted to digital TV technology, and is now being taken up as GRAMSAT Pilot Project – Madhya Pradesh (GPP-MP). DECU would continue to contribute to programme production, social research, etc. to some extent (under GPP-MP) and provide necessary guidance and technical assistance as may be required from time to time.

The TDCC activities are now being continued as Gramsat Pilot Projects GPP) for the states.