Village Level Franchisee Partners for a patented 'Education That Works- Learning System' across India

New Delhi, 22nd Feb 2010: Srei Sahaj e-Village Limited, a subsidiary of Srei Infrastructure Finance Limited, under the umbrella of its unique partnership with the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), the largest Open University offering distance learning programs, is launching skill development vocational programs at affordable costs for the rural population of India through more than 29,000 Common Service Centres (CSCs) that Sahaj is setting up in the states of West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa and Tamil Nadu.

Sahaj, in partnership with IGNOU, is launching a new learning methodology called ‘Education That Works – Learning System’ (ETWLS). This is a unique Learning system for which a Global Patent has been filed (patent Application Number – 322kol2009). This invention is a self instructional computational system which functioning via Core Interpretational System controlled decisional logic gates, depends on the efficacy of user input. The invention uses a graphical user interface and creates interaction between the user and the software. Through this unique interaction process the system determines the combinations and the correctness of approaching a specific task by the user.

In this unique methodology, actual skill assessment will be done in an online mode. After a student has studied a topic, the environment for practice opens and the student actually practices what he is supposed to have learnt. He can move to the next level only if he implements his learning correctly. A total of five programs will be currently available as a part of ETWLS; a diploma in Advanced Computing and a certificate program in Java, SQL, Flash and HTML respectively.

In order to bridge the rural and urban educational gap, Srei Sahaj and IGNOU had partnered in 2009 to provide training in a blended learning environment to enable students to undertake a range of recognized qualifications.

The initiative is aimed at making up for the lack of rated educational institutes in the rural India and help students in the villages get quality skill up gradation without the hassles of relocation. The programs are also supported by Chaakri.in, Srei Sahaj’s job portal dedicated solely to the rural population. All the learners who register on the portal will be guaranteed at least one job offer. It is projected that in the next 12 months, about 80,000 youth will be trained on these courses and over a period of time, more certificate courses, diploma and degree courses will be launched.

Commenting on the launch, Chief Guest, Thiru A. Raja, Hon’ble Union Minister for Communication and Information Technology said, “I laud the initiative taken by Srei Sahaj and IGNOU of introducing the rural population to the innovative skill development programs thereby creating opportunities for the rural youth to become more skilled and technically trained which would further increase their scope of employability. The plan would greatly benefit and augment the growth and development of the socio – economic landscape of rural India.”

Commenting on the new mode of delivery of its services to rural India, Dr. Sabahat Azim, CEO, Srei-Sahaj said, “Currently, one of the biggest bottlenecks in India’s growth story is the lack of skilled manpower. In rural India, the biggest stumbling block in fighting poverty is the lack of livelihood opportunities and skill development programs available to the rural population. Therefore, the latest offering from the Srei Sahaj and IGNOU partnership is set to go beyond all commercial considerations and achieve the avowed objective of empowering rural India through the innovative courses on offer.”

About Srei Sahaj e-Village Limited

Srei Sahaj e-Village Ltd. is a subsidiary of Srei Infrastructure Finance Ltd. It is a business integrator in the field of IT infrastructure with a focus on rural India. It has 65 offices across 6 states and is emerging as one of the largest implementers of ICT-based projects in India. It has taken up the task of eliminating the undemocratic digital divide between rural and urban India, under the flagship of NeGP of the Government of India. It brings government, business, and services to the rural India through an expanding network of Village Level Franchisee Partners. Srei-Sahaj is set to launch over 29,000 CSCs across the country. More than 16,000 CSCs have already been established, providing a single-window, one stop solution to the citizen’s needs, under the Private-Public- Partnership (PPP) arrangement.

The parent company of Sahaj, Srei Infrastructure Finance Limited, is a Holistic Infrastructure Institution, constantly and consistently ideating to deliver innovative solutions in infrastructure space, thus playing a significant role in nation-building for over two decades, both in urban and rural India. Srei’s businesses include Infrastructure Equipment Leasing & Finance, Infrastructure Project Finance, Advisory & Development, Insurance Broking, Venture Capital, Capital Market and Sahaj e -Village. Srei has a pan-India presence with a network of 63 offices and has also replicated its business model overseas with three offices in Russia. Srei is the first Indian infrastructure financing institution to get listed on the London Stock Exchange. Srei Equipment Finance Pvt. Ltd., a joint venture between Srei Infrastructure and BNP Paribas Lease Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of BNP Paribas, is a Srei Group company engaged in Infrastructure Equipment Leasing and Financing Business.

About Indira Gandhi National Open University

The Indira Gandhi National Open University, established by an Act of Parliament in 1985, has emerged as the largest University in the democratic world. Today, it serves the educational aspirations of nearly 2 million students in India and 33 other countries through the twenty-one Schools of Study and a network of 59 regional centres, more than 2300 Learner Support Centres and around 52 overseas centres. The University has, in a relatively short time, contributed significantly to higher education, community education and continual professional development.

As a world leader in distance education, it was conferred the Centre of Excellence Award in Distance Education in 1993 and the Award of Excellence for Distance Education Materials in 1999 by the Commonwealth of Learning (COL), Canada.

For further information, please contact:

Braj Kishore
Vice President and Head
Corporate Communications and Brand Management
Srei Infrastructure Finance Limited
Mobile: 098360 35599
Email: braj.kishore@srei.com

Debaditya Chaudhury / Nishant Kela
Blue Lotus PR
Mobile: 9831093508 / 9874189149
Email: debaditya@bluelotuspr.com

Background Note for the editors:

About Sahaj

1. Under the Prime Minister Flagship National E Governance Plan, Srei-Sahaj e-Village Ltd, a subsidiary of Srei Infrastructure Finance Limited, has taken up the task of eliminating the undemocratic digital split between rural and urban India. It brings government, business and services to the rural India through an expanding network of Village Level Franchisee Partners i.e., Village Level Entrepreneurs.
2. Today, Srei-Sahaj in partnership with its 16,000 Village Level Entrepreneurs, is serving about 160 million rural citizens.
3. Sahaj is mandated to set up a total of about 29,000 Common service Centres in states of Assam , Bihar, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Recently it tied up with Jammu and Kashmir Bank to help roll out the CSC project in the challenging terrain of Jammu and Kashmir.
4. A total of 32 services are now available at Sahaj CSCs including digital photography, digital video-shoot, NREGA photograph, NREGA data collection, government form submission, information regarding electoral processes- addition and deletion in the electoral roll, data entry (LA and LR), DTP, ROR, Internet, death certificate, birth certificate, property tax payment, agricultural soil testing, agricultural diagnosis, e-Learning, electric bill collection (WBSEDCL), BSNL bill collection, mobile top ups, railway reservation, LIC premium collection, advertising, rural-job portal and examination results. There are many more services in the offing like e-Commerce, matrimonial services, distance education, postal service, IEC (Information, Education and Communication), and infotainment.
5. Visit www.sahajcorporate.com for more information.

About ETWLS: Education that Works – Learning System

This is a unique Learning system for which a Global Patent has been filed (patent Application Number – 322kol2009).

The invention can be referred to as a self instructional computational system which functioning via Core Interpretation System controlled decisional logic gates, depends on the efficacy of user input. The invention uses a graphical user interface and creates interaction between the user and the software. Through this unique interaction process the system determines the combination's and the correctness of approaching a specific task by the user. The interpretation attribute of the system is due to the composite effect of two mutually reinforcing Interpreters that are the fundamental control points behind the conditional signal antiport through the logic gates. The uniqueness of the system constitutes not only the decisional capacity of the system based on interpretation of user action but also the synergistic paradox of the two mutually complementing Core Interpretational Systems manifested through conditional flow of signals through the two logic gates.

In other words this is a real time self Assessment system that not only allows a student , under a distance learning program, to have hands on experience on a simulation of the subject that is being taught but also assesses the execution of the instructions given on a real time basis .

This mechanism ensures the following:

1. That the student actually understands the practical execution of the topic thereby enhancing the comprehension and retention of the matter.
2. Since the assessment is real time – the student knows immediately the accuracy of his execution.
3. Since the logic is so designed that the student cannot proceed unless the execution is absolutely accurate it ensures that the student will ultimately learn.