The trend for offshoring shows no sign of abating, and it seems there’s no industry that isn’t prepared to take advantage. Recent reports in the UK press claim an Indian start-up offers schoolchildren unlimited “offshored” tutoring for just £50 a month.

The company, TutorVista, which will be based in Bangalore, is backed by American venture capital fund Sequoia Capital, (who include Google and You Tube among their clients). Next week they are to announce a new deal with publishing giant HarperCollins.

Under the new scheme students will receive their teaching from India’s vast pool of graduates via an online platform that is downloaded on to their home computer. Logging on 15 minutes before a session begins, students will click on a live link which includes an interactive whiteboard – a must have accessory in today’s classrooms – and internet phone connection.

In order to monitor the performance of the tutors pupils are asked to fill in feedback forms. The session can also be recorded to enable students to use the information for revision at a later date.

TutorVista could soon be facing some stiff competition from Pearson, the world’s largest educational publishing house, who are reported to be “very close to launching a live tutoring service.”

However, if the Indian company’s service takes off – and early signs suggest it will, with TutorVista already boasting 950 students in the US – it could make a revolution in personal tutoring.