Tata Ind to pump Rs 100cr in learning solutions business

Tata Industries Limited (TIL) plans to invest Rs 100-crore in integrated learning solutions christened CLASSEDGE for the Indian school education sector.

Launched by the Group's e-learning venture, Tata Interactive Services (TIS) today, the company expects it to be a profitable business in three-years.

"The initial investment (in the new venture) will be Rs 100-crore and we expect to sign-up 1,000 schools across 100 cities in the first year," Tata Industries's Managing Director, Kishor Chaukar, told reporters here after the launch.

CLASSEDGE is an innovative and comprehensive educational solution, designed to help teachers deliver high quality instruction, with an effective blend of classroom activities and interactive multimedia demonstrations.

It aims to enhance students'' social and thinking skills along with ensuring a thorough understanding of the curriculum content.

TIS plans to increase its current headcount of 200 employees in its school division to 600 by the end of this year, TIS Chief Executive Officer, Sanjaya Sharma, said.

TIS has been developing interactive and media-rich learning solutions for reputed educational publishers and institutions across the US, UK, Europe and the Middle-East.

"Through CLASSEDGE, we intend to reach out to schools, educational counselors and parents to address the gaps in the current educational practices," Sharma said.

The Indian school market is growing at 60%, Sharma said, adding the company is open to tying-up with Government schools but only in the second phase.