ASC or Franchisee?
Two Ways to Partner With HCI
They're built for different people. This page helps you pick the right one — including when the cheaper option is the better one.
The Difference in One Table
The academic product is identical. The difference is the brand, the territory and the market.
| Feature | Authorised Study Centre | HCI Franchisee |
|---|---|---|
| Name on your board | Yours | Hindustan Computer Institute |
| Who it's for | Existing institute, 6+ months, 15+ students | Anyone meeting the infrastructure minimums |
| One-time fee | ₹0 | ₹0 |
| Annual renewal | ₹0 | ₹10,000 |
| Security deposit | None | Refundable |
| Per-student certification | ₹500 – ₹4,500 | Same rates |
| Minimum annual commitment | ₹10,000 in certification fees | ₹10,000 in certification fees |
| Academic | ||
| HCI curriculum & study material | ✓ | ✓ |
| Verifiable HCI certificates | ✓ | ✓ |
| Central examination | ✓ | ✓ |
| Faculty training | ✓ | ✓ |
| Tally & Marg certification at cost | ✓ | ✓ |
| Systems | ||
| Student app | ✓ | ✓ |
| Teacher app | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web administration panel | ✓ | ✓ |
| Certificate processing by HQ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Brand & market | ||
| HCI brand name & signage | ✕ | ✓ |
| Co-branded certificates & letterheads | ✕ | ✓ |
| Website under the HCI umbrella | ✕ | ✓ |
| Listed on the hciindia.in centre locator | ✕ | ✓ |
| Enquiries routed to you from HCI marketing | ✕ | ✓ |
| Territory protection | ✕ | ✓ |
| Placement cell & employer tie-ups | ✕ | ✓ |
| Marketing suite (Email / SMS / WhatsApp / RCS) | Partial | Full |
Authorised Study Centre
Keep your name, add our credential.
You've spent years building a name in your town. Students know it and parents trust it. You don't need a new brand — you need three things a small independent institute can't easily produce alone:
- ✓A certificate that verifies. Every certificate is checkable on our verification portal. When an employer calls, there's a public record.
- ✓Software that runs the place. Student app, teacher app and web panel for admissions, fees, attendance, study material and results.
- ✓Curriculum you don't have to write. ADCA, MDCAA, ADFA, DCA and BCC, updated centrally, plus Tally and Marg certification at the companies' own rates.
What it costs
Nothing until you enrol a student. No joining fee, renewal or deposit. ₹500–₹4,500 per student by course, with a ₹10,000 minimum a year in certification fees — about 20 BCC students, or 7 on ADCA.
What you don't get
Our name, our enquiries and territory protection. You're an independent institute using our certification and systems, and we may certify another institute in your town.
HCI Franchisee
Operate as Hindustan Computer Institute.
Everything a Study Centre gets, plus the part that's harder to build than a curriculum: a market.
- ✓The HCI name on your board. ISO 9001:2015 certified, MSME registered, a registered trademark.
- ✓Territory protection. One HCI centre per block or tehsil in rural areas, one per ward cluster in urban ones.
- ✓Enquiries. Leads that reach us from your area are routed to you, and you're listed on our centre locator.
- ✓The full marketing suite. Email, SMS, WhatsApp and RCS panels, at no extra cost.
- ✓Placement support. Employer tie-ups, resume and interview prep, and a placement cell.
What it costs
₹10,000 a year. No one-time fee. Plus the same per-student rates and a refundable security deposit. No royalty — we never take a percentage of your revenue.
Which Should You Choose?
Tick the list that sounds more like you.
Choose Authorised Study Centre if…
- ✓You already have a name locally that students recognise
- ✓You have students enrolled now and need certification for them quickly
- ✓You don't want to change signage, letterheads or how you introduce yourself
- ✓You're comfortable competing in your town without territory protection
- ✓You want the lowest possible cost of entry
Choose HCI Franchisee if…
- ✓You're opening a new centre and starting from zero
- ✓Your town has other institutes and a recognised brand would set you apart
- ✓You want your catchment protected from another HCI centre
- ✓You want enquiries routed to you instead of generating every lead yourself
- ✓You'd rather focus on teaching than on marketing
Still unsure? Start as a Study Centre.
It costs less and commits you to less. We'd rather you start in the model that fits than sign up for the bigger one and regret it. A proven Study Centre is also the lowest-risk Franchisee we can sign, so the upgrade route suits us too.
Can I Switch Later?
Study Centre to Franchisee: yes, as long as territory in your area is still available. It's a common path: build under your own name, prove the centre works, then take the brand and the territory when you're ready to grow. Ask us for the current terms when you're ready.
Questions We Get Asked
I already run a computer institute. Can I get HCI certification without changing my name?
Yes — that's exactly what the Authorised Study Centre model is for. You keep your name, your students and your premises, and issue verifiable HCI certificates. No joining fee, no renewal, no deposit.
What's the difference between affiliation and franchise?
Affiliation (our Study Centre model) gives you certification and academic systems while you operate under your own brand. A franchise gives you the brand itself, plus territory protection and marketing support. Affiliation costs less; a franchise gives you more market.
Which is cheaper?
The Study Centre. No renewal fee and no deposit — you pay only per student. But cheaper isn't automatically better: if you're starting from zero, the brand and routed enquiries are usually worth more than the ₹10,000 a year you'd save.
Do Study Centre students get the same certificate as Franchisee students?
Yes. Identical HCI certification, identical central examination, the same verification portal. The academic product doesn't differ between models.
Can two Study Centres operate in the same town?
Yes. Study Centres run under their own brands, so territory protection doesn't apply. Franchisees get a protected catchment.
Do I need to already be running an institute to become a Study Centre?
Yes — at least 6 months of operation and 15 current students. If you're starting fresh, the Franchisee model is the right route.
Is there a royalty in either model?
No. We charge a fixed fee per student enrolled, never a share of your revenue.
Not Sure Which Fits?
Pick "not sure" on the application form and a counsellor will talk it through with you. No payment is due until you sign an agreement.