The HRD Ministry has taken several new and unique initiatives to ensure that the education of learners does not get adversely affected by the lockdown measures to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under the direction of MHRD, the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) has launched measures to that effective schooling continues to reach the unreached directly at their homes.
Quality educational content is being made available via Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) through the ‘SWAYAM’ platform for grades 9 to 12.
Students who are at home preparing for JEE and NEET are also benefitting from this initiative.
Along with self-learning material, the ‘SWAYAM’ portal features video lectures and self-assessment tools. There are also discussion forums where learners can have their questions and queries resolved.
For learners who have limited internet access, video lectures are being telecast on MHRD SWAYAM PRABHA TV channels. The telecast features live sessions where students are interacting with their teachers and subject experts.
Swayam Prabha is a group of 32 Direct to Home (DTH) channels dedicated to telecasting of high-quality educational programmes, 24×7, using the GSAT-15 satellite. Contents are provided by NPTEL, IITs, UGC, CEC, IGNOU, NCERT and NIOS.
Using their own Direct to Home (DTH) channel as well as DTH channels of Swayam Prabha and NCERT, NIOS is working with KVS, NVS and CBSE and NCERT to broadcast live sessions.
Tata Sky and Airtel DTH operators have agreed to air three Swayam Prabha DTH channels on their DTH platform.
Subject experts are able to connect into the Live telecast of SWAYAMPRABHA through Skype directly from their home.
The channels cover the following Higher Education (post- and under-graduate level), School (grades 9 -12), preparation for competitive exams and continuing education for life-long learners.
In addition to these education initiatives, the HRD Ministry launched a web-portal to cover the different dimensions of COVID-19 challenges in a very holistic and comprehensive way.
Young India Combating COVID with Knowledge, Technology and Innovation (YUKTI) is a unique portal and dashboard to monitor and record the efforts and initiatives of MHRD.
The portal will cover both qualitative and quantitative parameters for the effective delivery of services to the academic community at large.
The portal will also establish a two-way communication channel between the Ministry of HRD and the institutions so that the Ministry can provide the necessary support system to the institutions.