Aptech launches educational portal

BANGALORE: Aptech Ltd. has launched an educational portal, www.onlinevarsity.com, which will offer courses on various steams, including information technology, on the Web. According to Aptech executive director Pramod Khera, this portal would cater to students of all ages and corporates.

Aptech has made an investment of Rs 5-6 crore for the project last year and plans to spend another Rs 15 crore this year. Mr Khera said that the online courses would normally cost about 15 per cent less than their classroom versions. On payment structure, he said that while Indian students would be required to pay offline, international students can make their payments online.

Currently, the portal covers areas such as IT, management and communication and personality development skills. Mr Khera said that while Aptech will develop content for courses related to IT, it plans to tie up with others for content in other areas. "It could also be taking stake in a company that currently does not offer content online," he added.

The portal has already received more than 2000 registration for various courses and expects two million page views a month by April 2000. Mr Khera said that those online students who do not have access to the Internet would be allowed to use the Aptech centres at a nominal fee.