DTH
Tata Sky makes Classroom service free for all subscribers
KOLKATA: Covid2019 has brought about a significant disruption when it comes to classroom learning and education, thereby necessitating the need for virtual learning to be a part of the new normal. In order to adequately equip students across India, Tata Sky is now providing free unrestricted access to educational content on TV through the Tata Sky Classroom service. Powered by Tata ClassEdge, a pioneer in digital education, the service will help students across India gain access to learning through just the click of a button on their TV remote.
Tata Sky chief commercial and content officer Pallavi Puri said, “Online education in India is currently beset by several challenges, prime amongst them being the lack of adequate infrastructure. With Tata Sky’s vast reach, millions of children will get access to quality education for free via their television sets. The service is mapped with children's CBSE school syllabus and offers concept learning videos, delivered in an interesting story led format.”
Characterised and enabled by an engaging, interactive learning process, the service is targeted towards improving the digital learning scenario in tier-2, 3 and 4 cities. Tata Sky Classroom enables immense flexibility to students in far off and remote areas to access quality education via the TV without any hassle thereby saving money, time and energy.
Focusing on concept learning, Tata Sky Classroom enables students to strengthen their core understanding of the fundamentals of science and maths via fun and engaging animated concept learning videos. The service is available in both Hindi and English offers curriculum-based content for students from class fifth to eighth in maths and science. Apart from video lessons, students can also avail of fun curriculum-based games, full length practice tests and sample papers with answers to help reinforce their learning from the videos.
DTH
Dish TV moves court seeking level playing field with DD Free Dish
DTH player flags unfair edge as free platform reshapes pay-TV market
MUMBAI: Dish TV has approached the Kerala High Court, seeking a level playing field with DD Free Dish, the free-to-air satellite platform run by Prasar Bharati.
At the heart of the dispute is what Dish TV calls a regulatory imbalance. The company has urged the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to bring DD Free Dish under the same rules as private direct-to-home operators, including mandatory encryption and compliance with the Digital Addressable System under existing laws such as the Indian Telegraph Act and the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act.
Private DTH platforms are required to encrypt their signals, meaning viewers need authorised set-top boxes and paid subscriptions. In contrast, DD Free Dish remains unencrypted, allowing access through basic equipment without monthly fees, a difference Dish TV argues creates a structural advantage.
In its petition, Dish TV has described the current framework as arbitrary and discriminatory, alleging it undermines constitutional guarantees of equality and the right to trade. The company pointed out that while private operators shoulder the cost of encryption infrastructure, licensing fees and regulatory levies, DD Free Dish operates without similar obligations despite scaling up significantly.
Originally launched to distribute Doordarshan channels, DD Free Dish has steadily morphed into a quasi-commercial platform. It now carries around 120 private channels and generates substantial revenue through slot auctions, with earnings rising sharply over the years, according to the petition.
The case also throws a spotlight on shifting dynamics within India’s television market. Pay DTH operators have been grappling with a shrinking subscriber base, which has fallen from nearly 70 million in 2021 to about 51 million in 2025. At the same time, DD Free Dish has expanded its reach to roughly 53 million households, buoyed by viewers in price-sensitive regions opting for free access over paid subscriptions.
The migration has been further fuelled by broadcasters placing popular channels on the free platform, making it an increasingly attractive alternative for households looking to cut costs.
The Kerala High Court has admitted the petition and scheduled the next hearing for June 2, 2026. It also noted that a recent notice by Prasar Bharati inviting regional channels to uplink on DD Free Dish without carriage fees until March 31, 2026 will remain subject to the final outcome of the case.
Regulators have already acknowledged the gap. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, in its July 2024 recommendations, proposed a shift towards an addressable system for DD Free Dish, though these suggestions are not binding. The government is yet to take a final call, mindful of the platform’s reach among millions of households.
The petition follows repeated representations from private players and bodies such as the All India Digital Cable Federation, all flagging the same concern: a fast-growing free platform competing in a paid market without the same rulebook.
As the courtroom battle unfolds, the outcome could redraw the contours of India’s pay-TV ecosystem, deciding whether the free ride continues or the rules of the game finally converge.
