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distant education gradually became popular with the invention of modern technologies such as the Internet, web conferencing and chat rooms. This started with the aim of teaching employed people but has now included trendy professional courses for students, homemakers and others. Engineering is the most popular and trendy course that was started through distance education. A few universities that provide distance education engineering are Institution for Engineers (India), Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), BITS-Pilani and many more.
The minimum qualification to apply for the engineering course through this mode of study is a pass in 10+2 or any person who has completed three-year diploma in any of the courses such as the Civil/Mechanical/Computer Science/Chemical/Electrical. People who are working in relevant field are also eligible to apply for these engineering programs. Those who have completed the diploma program possess added advantage and may directly switch on to the second year of the course with a direct entrance test.
Some Universities give admission based on the AMIE score, which is considered equivalent to the engineering degree. Distance education engineering includes the student-teacher interaction through video tapes, Internet or through computer CD’s. E learning is the most effective mode of communication compared to tapes and CD’s and they may have a live interaction with the faculty.
They may also share their work experience with others to access assistance in their studies. One of the most important points to be considered while looking out for universities providing distance education is the number of classes they offer and the technology they follow. Course materials are provided at the beginning of the course. Detailed information can be obtained through the Internet also.
Students can also attend classes at scheduled time using video conferencing or call conferencing. In such cases, there need to be a group of students who are attending classes at a time. Here the faculty can ask the students any questions and based on their answers come to an apt conclusion. This helps in improving one’s confidence as well as interactions skills, which are required in the workplace. This scheme of professional education through distance mode can benefit more individuals seeking technical degrees.