The National Education Policy 2020 advocates for the allocation of resources towards enhancing digital infrastructure, online teaching tools, virtual labs, digital repositories, online assessments, technology-integrated pedagogy and more. It emphasises the significance of multilingualism and harnessing the power of language in teaching and learning through innovative and experiential approaches. Paragraph 4.23 of the NEP additionally underscores the importance of students acquiring specific subjects, skills and capacities, such as digital literacy, coding and computational thinking. These skills are actively promoted through diverse digital initiatives, Annpurna Devi, minister, state, education, told in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.
As a pivotal component of the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan, the comprehensive initiative known as PM e-VIDYA was launched on May 17, 2020. This initiative serves as a unified platform, consolidating all endeavours in the realm of digital, online and on-air education. The primary objective is to facilitate multi-mode access to education, ensuring a holistic and inclusive approach to learning, according to an official release.
The PM eVidya initiative, accessible to students nationwide at no cost, comprises key components aimed at enhancing educational resources. These include DIKSHA, the digital infrastructure offering quality e-content for school education across States/UTs and QR coded Energised Textbooks for all grades, consolidating under the vision of one nation, one digital platform. In line with the Union Budget for the Financial Year 2022-23, the initiative has expanded from 12 to 200 PM e-VIDYA DTH TV Channels, facilitating supplementary education in various Indian languages for grades 1st-12th, the release mentioned.
To ensure widespread accessibility, PM eVidya leverages Radio, Community Radio and CBSE Podcast- Shiksha Vani. Specialised e-content for the visually and hearing impaired, developed on Digitally Accessible Information System (DAISY) and in sign language on NIOS website/YouTube, is also integrated. For fostering critical thinking and creativity, the initiative aims to establish 750 virtual labs and 75 Skilling e-labs by 2023, focusing on Science and Mathematics subjects for grades 6th-12th. A dedicated vertical for virtual labs on the DIKSHA platform, along with training sessions conducted through PM eVidya DTH TV channels, ensures effective implementation for teachers and teacher educators nationwide, as per the release.
Moreover, the ICT and digital initiatives segment of the centrally sponsored Samagra Shiksha scheme encompasses government and aided schools with classes 6th-12th. Financial aid is extended under this segment to facilitate the establishment of ICT Labs and Smart Classrooms in schools. In partnership with IIT Kanpur, the SATHEE portal has been created to support students nationwide in their preparation for competitive exams. Currently, feedback on the beta version of the platform is actively being sought from students across the country, it added.