Distance education and E learning have come up a long way since their time of inception. And nowadays in the era where people are always short on time, these are the preferred methods for education. Now E learning and Distance Education are very different from each other. While E learning came into existence only after the inception of computers for general use on the other hand Distance learning started in 1840 when a British institute decided to impart short hand education using mail service.

The face of education has changed drastically over the years and distance learning also evolved with it. Now with better mail service and most importantly internet has made our lives easier and now we can pursue any course and not bother about the distance being the hindrance. Initially this concept was not accepted by many universities as they thought that this method was corrupting the education and was changing the very foundation of our education system.

They argued that since the beginning of education, a physical presence of teachers is always required as it provides a learning environment to the students. But after resistance and gradually improving technology, distance education and E learning have finally found their rightful place and almost all the universities across the world now offer many E learning courses. And now computers and internet have made it to such a level that we can create a complete virtual classroom right from the comfort of our home.

However the only glitch is that people with distance education degrees still have prejudiced notions against them and employers prefer people with traditional style degrees. Although the way technology is progressing, the day doesn’t seems to be far when people start respecting online degrees more that the traditional ones.

There are many recognised distance learning institutes in India today. They are also offering education loans to needy students even if they are unable to offer any scholarships or concessions on fees. With the change in infrastructure, teaching tools and interactive studies one can learn more quickly. For some students there are facilities for paying the fees in two instalments.

Some distance learning institutes like Amity International are recognised by leading organisations in Canada and Australia. They also give opportunity to students to interact with fellow students so there is overall participation in the learning process. BITS, Pilani is another institute that has many short and long term programs outside the campus.

With the advent of transcription opportunities one can do medical transcription courses even if there is no background in medicine. These courses help in getting better pay packets at work. In the same manner one can also do interior design correspondence courses via distance learning. Sometimes if there is breakdown in system access the study material is also sent home to the student. The learning process is not interrupted. Regular exams are also held before giving out certificates. All states in India have distance learning schools. One can learn law, MBA, Catering technology, computer science, history, tourism, philosophy, administration, agriculture etc.

Distance learning has provided equal opportunities to one and all in the country. There are many teachers who are proficient in teaching via this method. Even through distance learning one can get job opportunities anywhere in the world. Today communication systems have advanced so much that it is much easier, convenient and quicker to gain expertise via distance learning. As education has gone beyond the college campus distance learning programs have become important. People are able to do research and development also via distance learning programs today.