Appeal to principals and pharmacy teachers

Kindly go through the following information about Govt. of India's serious initiatives on use of ICT solution in schools and higher education to bring about a revolution in educational system. I strongly feel that pharmacy teachers and principals should realise the importance of such initiatives in pharmacy education. All eminent and senior pharmacy teachers should come together to think over how fast we can implement these ICT solutions in pharmacy education also, because hence onward no education can be imparted without using the ICT solutions. The pharmacy educators can't afford to loose the opportunities in making the pharmacy education as innovative and as technologically advanced. Maharashtra Pharmacist Association would like to organise one day seminar on implementation of ICT solutions to make pharmacy education according to need of the day.

On this proposed seminar, you are requested to send your views, comments etc. at the earliest.

 With regards,

B.E.Khomne,

President,

Maharashtra Pharmacist Association.

Internet Cummunication Technology in Education

The government plans to use ICT In delivering educational services to schools and institutions of higher learning in a big way. A National Mission on Education through ICT will be launched through the collaborative efforts of the Ministry of HRD, Department of  Information Technology and Department of Telecom, to increase ICT coverage in all the 378 universities and 18064 colleges in the country. The Mission will focus on digitization and networking of all educational Institutions, developing low cost and low power consuming devices, and making available bandwidth for educational purposes. Advanced computational facilities will be provided in select Institutions. The Mission is expected to result in making available e-books in English language for most subjects, EDUSAT teaching hub at each Central University,2000 broadband Internet nodes at each of the 200 Central institutions, one Satellite Interactive terminal for providing network connectivity in 18000 colleges, with each department of 378 universities and each of the 18064 colleges being networked through broadband Internet modes of adequate bandwidth, digitization of large volume of video contents of Teaching Learning Materials generated over time, spreading digital literacy.

In order to cope with the challenges of this age of networked Intelligence, a National Knowledge Network and Connected Digital Campuses will be established to facilitate collaborative research and sharing of knowledge The National Knowledge Network will, enable Institutions of higher learning to have digital campuses, video-conference classrooms, and wireless hot-spots campus wide. The aim is to create a world-class ambience by establishing a dynamically configurable national, multi-gigabit network that also integrates seamlessly with global science, connecting all educational institutions, R&D institutions, hospitals, libraries, or agricultural institutions. In the first phase 1000 institutions would be brought under this network, as recommended by the National Knowledge Commission. A suitably structured Empowered Committee, consisting of shareholders, assisted by a Technical Advisory Committee, will coordinate the activities of creation and Implementation of the content, applications, and establishment of the network.

It Is also proposed to establish ICT Infrastructure at the 1.08 lakh government and government-aided secondary and senior secondary schools during the Eleventh Plan period. The Infrastructure will consist of a networked computer lab with at least ten computers, a server, a printer connected on Local Area Network and broadband Internet connectivity of 2 Mbps. Every school will also have a technology classroom, with audio visual equipment for enhancing the learning. A dedicated programme for content creation as per the curricula will be undertaken as an integral part of this initiative. In addition educational content on CDs for embellishing classroom teaching will also be made available Training of teachers in the use of computers and teaching through computers will be another important component of this initiative. An amount of Rs 5000 crore is being provided during the Eleventh Plan for providing this infrastructure. The scheme will be implemented in partnership with the States and private providers and will be a sub-mission of the National Mission on ICT of Ministry of HRD.