Online education basically is credit-granting courses or education training delivered primarily via the internet to students at remote locations, including their homes. The Online courses may or may not be delivered synchronously. An online course may need that students and teachers meet once or periodically in a physical setting for lectures, labs, or exams, so long as the time spent in the physical setting does not exceed 25% of the total course time. Online education encompasses various degrees and courses. Through online education, one can opt for many online degrees or online courses from various online universities that provide this facility.

In India, there has been an increase in students enrolling for online education format. The admissions in regular University courses have become highly competitive due to limited number of seats available in specialised professional courses. Distance Education Council is an organisation responsible for the promotion and coordination of the Open University and distance education system and for determination of its standards in India.

The advantages of the online education format are:

• You don’t have to hamper your present occupation. Getting an online degree may even assist in increasing your career prospects.

• You can study in one of the top colleges in any state of the country or abroad.

• You get an accredited degree from universities recognised worldwide.

• For those with financial constraints studying online is a good option.

While online education in India is still in its infancy, online education abroad is quite a hit among the people. The main attraction of online education is the flexibility through which education is imparted-through the internet and more appealing is the fact that a person can pursue an online course within the comfort of his home or any other place that he chooses. A very important part of online education format is the aspect of e-learning or electronic learning. E-learning in India is gaining prominence slowly, but indeed steadily. This is due to the fact that more than half the population of India today is below 25 years of age and the number of Internet users is growing continuously. The tremendous growth of the economy in the recent past has also helped in the growth of online education in India.

E-learning in India is especially popular with the young professionals who have joined the work force quite early but still would like to continue their education that may help them move up their career ladder quickly and safely. They find online education in India very convenient, as the nature of the course work does not require them to attend regular classes. Moreover reputed institutes like Indian Institute of Management, Indian Institute of Technology, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade are today offering e-learning courses.

The scope of online education in India is actually much wider. Apart from proper course works, some E-learning portals in India are also conducting mock tests for various competitive examinations like engineering, medical, management etc. For example, the Indiatimes group has introduced the Mindscape test center where one can appear for mock IIT JEE exams online for making self-assessment. The Gurukul online Solutions, apart from providing various courses, set up a Jobs and Careers Centre (JCC), which, not only provides job-oriented vocational education in a variety of domains, but also provides career enriching courses via e-learning.

They also offer Live Virtual Classroom connectivity to over 175 cities across India. Some E-learning portals in India are also providing tutorials for school students. Thus the reach of E-learning in India has expanded from adults to teenagers. The future of E-learning industry seems to be very bright in India as number of Internet users is growing. In fact, if prices of computers become affordable and Internet speed becomes tolerable, e- learning can work wonders for the country.

IIM’s have tied up with NIIT Imperia and Hughes.net to provide working executive a chance to upgrade their Management Skills. They are aimed at the best of working professionals who are motivated and serious about self development and are prepared to put in time and effort. These specialised programmes ensure that participants get an opportunity to have face-to-face interaction with the faculty, develop capabilities and hone skills, apply the learning to their organisations, share their learning through the platform and work on a live project and report their findings.

An upgraded, specialised skill set and a sound academic and theoretical understanding of the concepts is what the participants can expect after completion of these programmes. Performance in the organisation is enhanced and visibility increased, which leads to better future prospects for these candidates. There is one more very useful site for online education abroad which is www.onlinedegreeshub.com. Online Degree Hub can help you find the best online degree for your career and education goals.

 They have the most authoritative, up-to-date information on every online school, subject, and degree, and can help you find the best accredited programme to meet your needs.
There are various types of online degrees available as per the candidate’s choice. Whether one wants certificate degrees, bachelors or master’s degree or a doctoral degree, he/she can choose from a number of distance learning programmes. To choose an appropriate degree, the candidate has to keep the following points in mind:

• While you plan to pursue an online course, you need to find out if all the classes are offered online because many institutes offer online degrees only if you appear for the tests at the campus.

• You should keep in mind that the credibility of the school, which offers an online degree, is also of grave importance. A candidate should always apply to an accredited college or university for pursuing an online degree.

• Even if you are planning to pursue a distance learning programme from a traditional university, you should check the credibility of the university and its services related to online education.

In conclusion, I would say that while choosing from the online degrees available for pursuit, the candidate should have an idea as to why he wants to pursue the programme and whether he is looking forward to a career in which the online degree acquired will be of use.