Indian e-learning courses attracting wide range of learners

The online training courses offered by the Centre for Environment, Planning and Technology (CEPT) University in Ahmadabad, India, are attracting students from all over the world.

People who are more than 50 years old, architects, government employees, self-employed workers, private sector personnel and even learners from foreign countries are all enrolling on the e-learning programme, the Indian Express reports.

Course director at CEPT Professor Sejal Patel claimed around one-fifth of all participants come from nations such as Bhutan, Nepal, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Belgium and Sri Lanka.

Furthermore, other people are in senior positions within the state, including members of the Ministry of Urban Development, the Ahmadabad Urban Development Authority and groups such as Poverty Alleviation, he revealed.

Professor Saswat Bandopadhyay, chair of CEPT's Centre for Continuing Education, told the publication that virtual learning environments used to be generally accessed by men.

However, at present, 46 per cent of the participants are female, he stated, pointing out "the enrolment is almost in an equal ratio".

Some of the popular course titles the academic facility provides include Urban Infrastructure Planning, Urban Planning, Environment and Sustainable Development and Environmental Impact Assessment.

Around 25 per cent of the people involved in these programmes are engineers, while a further 15 per cent come from a scientific background, Professor Bandopadhyay added.

"The e-learning course has helped me to understand the nuances of recent demand and practices in the sector," Harpreet Singh Brar, who took the Urban Infrastructure Planning course, told the news source.

He claimed online learning gave him a professional edge and helped him to stay knowledgeable in his industry.

People taking a course through this method will not have to travel to the university to attend lectures or take exams.

Everything is accessible over the internet, meaning students will never have to come to the campus, with registration even taking place on the web.