ZILS pioneers convergence for e-learning

Nachiketa Desai
13 November 2001

Mumbai: If convergence is the buzzword, Zee Group surely knows how to convert it into cash flow.

Take the case of Zee Interactive Learning Systems Ltd (ZILS), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Zee Group. Armed with credible alliances, workable technology and experience in generating multimedia content, the less than two-year-old ZILS is poised to break even next year with a Rs 100-crore turnover.

At a 100-per cent growth rate, ZILS hopes to capture one-fourth of the Rs 2,000-crore IT education market by 2004. What fires the companys ambition is convergence in which the Zee Group has established a clear lead over the competitors.

Convergence of television, online and offline (classroom) media has helped ZILS become a one-stop learning solutions provider company. With a slew of Indian universities recognising it as a dependable vehicle for conducting a wide spectrum of courses in information technology, ZILS has attained a reputation unmatched by any other commercial educational institution.

Though market leaders such as NIIT, Aptech and SSI have attained brand equity in IT education, none of them lead to a degree or diploma recognised by the Indian universities. This is not the case with ZILS, which conducts IT courses for half a dozen universities.

Universities prepare the syllabus, the course structure and conducts the examinations. We provide the infrastructure for conducting courses. We make these courses interactive, says ZILS chief operating officer Dilip Mahapatra.