The educational network of Doordarshan kept on expanding as the Television Service developed, adding newer areas and dimensions.

Today, most of the programme originating Kendras of Doordarshan run regular programmes, bearing on education whether formal or informal or both. Television programmes are now regularly available from primary classes to university level.

Besides Doordarshan, organisations like IGNOU, UGC, NCERT and Education Department of State Governments are fully involved today in the use of television as a medium of education (Saxena:18).

Recently, IGNOU conducted a two-way- audio- and one way video experiment by linking up the experts in Delhi TV studio and the audience in the studios in the far off cities.

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Here audience could ask questions and get instantaneous replies from the experts on television. This provides the opportunity for audience to participate and give feed back in the communication process.

Doordarshan puts out programmes for various age groups. Some of its centres telecast programmes on ‘Adult Education’. Bombay Doordarshan’s programme entitled ‘Gyandeep’ was the most successful one by Doordarshan in the area of Adult Education.

It was considered very effective in educating the adult audience, in whose life the gap was created due to illiteracy or failure to continue schooling. The similar programme by Delhi Doordarshan did not gain the popularity.

Television has imparted non formal education to people and made them better informed, aware and educated in the areas like consumer education, vocational education, education to industrial workers, civic education, safety, health, legal education, and so on.

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Such efforts are sporadic and therefore do not create boosting impact. Most of them lack messages of general interest.

Vedantam, an education correspondent of the ‘Deccan Herald’ felt that at present 10 percent of TV time set aside for education is not enough, if we want the next generation to become something good.

Doordarshan has failed to create an entertainment channel which, educates at the same time. UGC programmes on TV are highly academicised in nature, catering to those, who already have access to that kind of education. She felt that Doordarshan has not been able to deliver the goods.

Perhaps, it is unable to cope with its multifarious responsibilities. It has lack of direction especially in its educational thrust. So, if this area of responsibility at least is shifted to another organization.

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Where specialists in the field could devote their complete attention, we may be able to look forward to a more constructive, balanced and really useful TV education. Something on the lines of the BBC Open University programmes.

Very few studies on impact of these programmes have been carried out so as to draw any conclusions or generalizations.