Steps taken by the government to promote IT based education

A comprehensive initiative called PM eVIDYA has been initiatedas part of Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan on 17th May, 2020, which unifies all efforts related to digital/online/on-air education to enable multi-mode access to education. The initiative includes:

• DIKSHA (one nation, one digital platform)is the nation’s digital infrastructure for providing quality e-content for school education in states/UTs and QR coded Energized Textbooks for all grades are available on it.
• One earmarked Swayam Prabha TV channel per class from 1 to 12 (one class, one channel).
• Extensive use of Radio, Community radio and CBSE Podcast- Shiksha Vani.
• Special e-content for visually and hearing impaired developed on Digitally Accessible Information System (DAISY) and in sign language on NIOS website/ YouTube.

In order to promote online education, UGC has notified necessary regulation, which facilitates the Universities to offer full-fledged Online Program. Further, the current provisions of 20 per cent Online courses in a programme, as per provisions of UGC SWAYAM and ODL Regulations to be enhanced up to maximum 40 per cent for implementation considering “National interest during COVID-19” and also to ensure effective utilization of e-resources.

Various digital initiatives are also undertaken by Ministry of education viz. SWAYAM (“Study Webs of Active-Learning for Young Aspiring Minds”), SWAYAM Prabha, National Digital Library (NDL), Virtual Lab, e-Yantra, NEAT (National Education Alliance for technology), FOSSEE (Free Open-Source Software for Education) etc. to ensure quality education to the students. 

To improve the internet connectivity in rural areas the CSC e-Governance Services India Ltd (CSC-SPV) of MEITY has been assigned the task of providing Fibre to the Home (FTTH) connectivity to the Government Institutions, including schools.

Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has launched a ‘Cyber Security Handbook’ to ensure safe and healthy digital habits among students. The ‘Cyber Security Handbook’ can be accessed at this link:

http://cbseacademic.nic.in/web_material/Manuals/Cyber_Safety_Manual.pdf.

An Integrated Teacher Training Programme called NISHTHA has been launched it is a capacity building programme for “Improving Quality of School Education through Integrated Teacher Training”. NISHTHA can be accessed from the below link:https://itpd.ncert.gov.in//

This information was given by the Union Minister of Education, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.