The National Education Policy 2020 has set the stage for a transformative era in education, emphasizing the crucial role of digital infrastructure, online teaching platforms, and innovative pedagogical methods. In response to this vision, the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan introduced PM eVidya on May 17, 2020, a groundbreaking initiative designed to provide seamless access to education through diverse modes.
Under the PM eVidya umbrella, all students across states now have access to a plethora of resources free of cost, aligning with the policy’s commitment to promoting multilingualism and harnessing the power of language in teaching and learning.
The key components of PM eVidya include:
DIKSHA – One Nation, One Digital Platform: A national digital infrastructure providing quality e-content for school education in States/UTs. This initiative is complemented by QR coded Energized Textbooks for all grades, ensuring a unified learning experience.
DTH Channels Expansion: In a significant move, the 12 DTH Channels have been expanded to 200 PM e-VIDYA DTH TV Channels. This expansion empowers all states to provide supplementary education in various Indian languages for classes 1-12, reaching students in every corner of the nation.
Radio, Community Radio, and Podcasts: Extensive use of radio, community radio, and CBSE Podcast- Shiksha Vani to broaden the reach of education, making it accessible to diverse learners.
Specialized Content for Differently-Abled: Recognizing the diversity of learners, PM eVidya offers special e-content for visually and hearing impaired students, developed on the Digitally Accessible Information System (DAISY) and in sign language on NIOS website/YouTube.
Virtual Labs and Skilling e-labs: To foster critical thinking and creativity, PM eVidya aims to establish 750 virtual labs and 75 Skilling e-labs by 2023. These labs, catering to Science and Mathematics subjects for Classes 6th – 12th, provide a simulated learning environment.
ICT and Digital Initiatives under Samagra Shiksha: The ICT and Digital initiatives component of the Samagra Shiksha scheme covers Government and Aided schools with classes VI to XII. Financial assistance is provided for establishing ICT Lab and Smart Classrooms in schools.
SATHEE Portal: In collaboration with IIT Kanpur, a SATHEE portal has been developed to assist students preparing for competitive exams nationwide. The platform is currently in beta, and valuable feedback is being collected from students across the country.
As we witness the unfolding of these initiatives, PM eVidya stands as a testament to the government’s unwavering commitment to revolutionizing education, ensuring that no student is left behind in the digital era.
