Although some people tend to equate distance learning with online education , a fine line exists between them. While all online degree programs can be termed as distance learning courses, it is difficult to call distance-learning courses as online courses. This is because the technology used in both the mode may be different in some cases. And in India as its benefits are many, Distance Learning Courses in India are increasingly becoming popular. The availability of distance learning courses has assured that a person can pursue education from any state or university that he or she desires.
Distance Learning Institutes in India
As the course fee of these courses is much lesser than the regular courses, distance-learning courses in India have also become popular in the rural areas. Thus the distance learning institutes are serving a very important cause by enabling the less advantaged sections of the society to pursue higher education of their choice. The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), which is a premier institute of Distance Learning in India, was established primarily to provide distance education to less advantaged sections of the society.
Of the 1.5 million students of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), lots of enrollment comes from rural areas. But these distance-learning courses are equally popular in the urban areas as the correspondence courses are helping them to improve their career options or engage in other important activities.
There are, at present 11 open universities in India that provide distance education for those who are interested in taking up professional courses or any other educational course of their interest. Moreover there are more than 54 distance learning institutes in India that cater to the needs of higher education in India.
