Students who have cleared full-time non-formal computer courses at National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT), formerly DOEACC, can join degree courses in select universities, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said today.

"This is a changing India which is looking for opportunity. NIELIT is doing well. Its students can now join formal courses like MCA, MTech and MBA across three universities. This will give more opportunity to students," Prasad said at a workshop organised by NIELIT.

NIELIT's Managing Director Ashwini Kumar Sharma said that the move will benefit around 9 lakh students irrespective of the year they have cleared their course.

"Till date we have trained over 20 lakh students which includes short term courses also. About 9 lakh students who have completed long term courses will be able to take admission in three universities who have signed agreement with us," Sharma said.

NIELIT has signed memorandum of understanding with Sunrise University at Alwar, Rajasthan; AISECT University of Madhya Pradesh and Dr CV Raman University at Bilaspur, Chattisgarh.

The minister said that NIELIT should look at the training methodology that changing India needs where people have started learning using mobile phone on their own.

"NIELIT has good presence in East. It should open more centres to meet skill training targets under Digital India programme. It should increase its presence in southern part of country, states like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh," Prasad said.

NIELET has 31 offices across India and conducts training through about 800 institutions. It offers computer programming courses-- 'O' Level (Foundation), 'A' Level (Advance Diploma), 'B' Level (MCA equivalent) and 'C' Level (M-Tech level).

Students who have completed 'O' level course at NIELIT can get lateral entry into third semester of Bachelor of Computer Application, 'A' level student can get lateral in MCA programme, and B level in first semester of Master of Technology in Sunrise University.

For other two universities, NIELIT students will need to clear a bridge exam.

Sharma said due to advancement in course curriculum and availability of modern facilities at NIELIT, revenue of the institute has increased from Rs 155 crore in 2012-13 to Rs 242 crore in 2013-14.

NIELIT today signed an agreement with computer chip major Intel to align its courses with industry requirement and increase employability skills of students.