Welcome to the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS) outreach e-Learning Education Programme. Further to welcoming you to the course, we would like to give you some helpful information and a few hints to complete this course successfully. Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS) under Indian Space Research Organisation, Department of Space, Government of India is a premier Training, Educational and Research Institute established for developing trained professionals in the field of Remote Sensing, Geoinformatics and GNSS technology for Natural Resources, Environmental and Disaster Management. The Institute is running many on-campus short and long term capacity building programmes ranging from three days to two years. The remote sensing and geo-information science have become key technology tools for the collection, storage and analysis of spatially referenced data for resource planning and decision making. Planners and decision makers utilise geospatial technologies for a variety of applications. These are seen in areas such as agriculture, forestry, mining, market research, environmental analysis as well as the social, utility services and disaster management.

Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS) has initiated its interactive distance education based capacity building training under IIRS outreach programme in the year 2007. Through this programme, over 10,000 students and researchers from 112 universities/institutes across the country have been trained in the field of geospatial technology. This was accomplished through ISRO's communication satellites, satellite interactive terminals and A-View software.

To further enhance the outreach of geospatial science and technology, IIRS is now introducing e-learning based certificate course on 'Remote Sensing and Geo-information Science'. For some of you, this might be your first experience of taking up an online course. Online courses provide the learners an easy way to study and develop various skills. You have to maintain the same standards of excellence that are required in face-to-face courses. You will come to know that, as an online learner, self-motivation and discipline are very important. You are completely responsible for managing a regular and methodical study system.

We are offering eight basic level programmes in e-learning mode. They are: Image Statistics, Basics of Remote Sensing, Photogrammetry and Cartography, Digital Image Processing, Geographical Information System, Global Positioning System, Customisation of Geospatial Tools and Applications of Geospatial Technologies. These programmes are designed to enable participants to expand and develop their knowledge, which in turn enhance their career prospects.