Tele-Education, Tele-Medicine and VRC Programmes in India: An Update
- Paper number
IAC-08.E5.I.11
- Author
Dr. P.K. Jain, ISRO Headquarters, India
- Coauthor
Mr. A. Bhaskaranarayana, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), India
- Year
2008
- Abstract
The applications of space technology are unique in addressing the developmental needs of the society, and more so in case of developing countries. These applications encompass the areas of development communication, education, healthcare, land and water resources development, environment monitoring and disaster management. With primary emphasis on applications of space technology on an end-to-end basis towards national development, the Indian Space Program has distinguished itself as one of the most cost-effective and development oriented space programs in the world. India has utilized the space technology for various societal applications like tele-education, tele-medicine, village resources centers, etc. Both remote sensing and communication technologies are being used to run these programmes. The promotion of the universal primary education has become the top priority for India. But the extension of quality education to remote and rural regions becomes a Herculean task for such a large country with multi-lingual and multi-cultural population separated by vast geographical distances and, in many instances, inaccessible terrain. India launched a communication satellite, Edusat, in September 2004, dedicated exclusively for educational services to address these issues. The Edusat Utilization Programme is being run since then by Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) in association with state governments and Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), and VSAT networks (interactive and broadcast) are being setup in all states of the country to provide curriculum based education in schools, colleges and teacher’s training institutes. India like most of the developing countries has inadequate infrastructure to provide proper medical care to the rural population. One major bottleneck is the availability of specialist’s doctors in rural areas. Use of satcom and information technology to connect rural clinics to urban hospitals through telemedicine systems is one of the solutions that India has adopted. Several telemedicine networks are being setup by ISRO across the country under Tele-medicine programme. ISRO has also initiated a programme to set up satellite-based Village Resource Centres (VRCs) across India in association with NGOs and trusts and the concerned state and central agencies. VRCs are envisaged as single window delivery mechanism for a variety of space based products and services, such as tele-education; tele-medicine; information on natural resources for planning and development at local level; interactive advisories on agriculture, fisheries, land and water resources management, livestock management, etc; interactive vocational training towards alternative livelihood; e-governance; weather information; etc. This paper gives an update on these societal applications of space technology that are undertaken by ISRO with emphasis on their impact on resolving the core issues of backwardness through knowledge empowerment, and also reaching the necessary services to the people at grassroots, at their doorstep.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-08.E5.I.11.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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