Union Minister for Education, Dharmendra Pradhan, today inaugurated the PM e-VIDYA DTH Channel No. 31 dedicated to Indian Sign Language (ISL) on December 6, 2024, in New Delhi. This move aligns with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and is set to transform the educational experience for hearing-impaired students across the country.
The establishment of a dedicated PM e-VIDYA DTH Channel for ISL reflects the government’s commitment to addressing the educational needs of children with hearing impairments. The channel will serve as an accessible platform to promote ISL as both a language and an academic subject. This development will not only provide resources for students but will also offer curriculum-based content for teachers, teacher educators, and other key educational stakeholders. Topics covered on the channel will include skill development, career guidance, mental health, communication skills, and class-specific curricular content, ensuring that learners from diverse backgrounds can access high-quality educational resources in sign language.
The initiative is a crucial step toward standardising Indian Sign Language across the country, in line with the NEP 2020. Paragraph 4.22 of the NEP emphasizes the importance of promoting ISL to create an inclusive and accessible learning environment. It stresses that ISL should be standardised nationwide, with appropriate curriculum materials developed for students with hearing impairments. Local sign languages, where relevant, will also be respected and incorporated into the educational framework.
The PM e-VIDYA ISL channel aims to make ISL more widely recognised and accepted, not only as a communication tool but as a subject of study akin to other languages such as Hindi and English. This launch is a significant milestone in India’s journey toward inclusive education, ensuring that no child is left behind due to their hearing impairment.
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