MUMBAI, India, March 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Tata Interactive Systems (TIS), the global pioneer and leader in e-learning and simulations, today launched CLASSEDGE, an integrated learning solution for the Indian school education sector. TIS enters the school segment with an initial investment of Rs. 100 crores from Tata Industries and plans to increase its current headcount of 200 employees in its school division to 600 people by the end of this year.

Over the past 20 years, TIS has been developing interactive and media rich learning solutions for reputed educational publishers and institutions across the US, UK, Europe and Middle East. CLASSEDGE was developed on the strength of this solid international experience, with a commitment to improve the quality of teaching and learning in Indian classrooms.

CLASSEDGE is an innovative and comprehensive educational solution from TIS, designed to help teachers deliver high quality instruction, with an effective blend of classroom activities and interactive multimedia demonstrations. Based on the TIS educational framework called Multiple Learning Experiences Model, CLASSEDGE aims to enhance students' social and thinking skills along with ensuring a thorough understanding of the curriculum content.

Expressing his pleasure at the launch of another pioneering initiative from the TATA Group, Mr. Kishor A Chaukar, Managing Director, Tata Industries, said, "A strong education system is a prerequisite for any country's socio-economic development and we in the Tata Group are committed to the cause of making world-class education available to the young populace of India. It has been an established fact that technology and education has to go hand in hand if we have to achieve global benchmarks and provide 100% access to education. We are confident that with an expert learning solutions provider like TIS entering this space, the school education landscape is up for an overhaul that will bridge the education divide and provide the right skills to our children to make them self-reliant."

Outlining the company's strategy, Mr. Sanjaya Sharma, Chief Executive Officer, Tata Interactive Systems, said, "The launch of CLASSEDGE is a significant milestone for us, as we see huge potential in the market, with a large number of Indian schools still untouched by technological benefits. Today's education system needs to give a window for participatory learning where students get an opportunity to test their problem-solving skills. Through CLASSEDGE, we intend to reach out to schools, educational counselors and parents to address the gaps in the current educational practices. Our aim is to encourage experiential learning and creative thinking in students and enhance the effectiveness of the teaching-learning process."

"India's supplemental education represents a $15 billion market opportunity over the next decade and we plan to target schools in over 100 cities in this year. We are committed to expand the market and establish a leadership position in this segment," Mr. Sharma added. The market for technology-enabled learning solutions in the Indian school education sector has experienced a double digit annual growth over the last five years. India's current literacy rate is still a low 65% and so the Government is keen to promote educational initiatives to achieve 100 percent literacy by 2020. Needless to say, technology-enabled learning will be critical in revamping India's education system, which has over 15 lakh schools in both private and public domains.