the background

Use of satellite technology was considered important to reach out to masses with Educational, Social and Developmental messages.  It was Prof. Vikram Sarabhai, who thought of using Satellite for Education.  The application of Satellite for Education was keenly promoted by Professor Yashpal.

For development of Educational video programmes in the area of higher education, Educational Media Research Centres & Audio Visual Research Centres were set up by the University Grants Commission in the Universities of India.  Today there are seventeen Media centres.  The effort was started as early as 1983.  During the Two decades considerable amount of content was developed and Telecast on Doordarshan.
CEC
CEC was set up in 1993 to coordinate the development of Educational programmes in these centres and communication of the same through Television.  Since then it has been working for development of educational communication in higher education.

Today we have Electronic content in video form in 49 subjects and full courseware in eleven subjects.  Total Video programmes are nearly 15,000 i.e, 7000Hrs of content.  Presently we are adding 1000 programmes annually as compared 500 programme per annum in the past.  Nearly 400Hrs of content is developed annually during the last two years as compared to 150Hrs of content per year during the last one decade.  The Educational programmes are telecast on Vyas-24Hrs Higher Channel and for 1½ Hrs on DD1, DD Bharti pertaining to health line & culture and for 4Hrs on GyanDarshan.

In order to promote the quality in educational video programmes CEC is conducting video competition for Indian as well as for Asian Producers.  The award for Asian Producers has been instituted by Commonwealth of Learning. CEC is also giving award for Life Time Achievement in educational communication.  Among the recipients are Prof. Yashpal, Prof. Chitnis, Sh. Shyam Benegal and Sh. Kiran Karnik.  

To fulfill the educational needs of society for protection and development of Environment.  CEC is organizing annual video festival under the title ‘PRAKRITI’ for video programme development on environment education.