The National Education Policy 2020 at para 4.22, inter-alia,recommends for standardization of the Indian Sign Language (ISL) across the country and development of National and State curriculum materials for use by students with hearing impairment. The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC) for developing NCERT textbook based videos in Indian Sign Language.ISLRTC has prepared and launched 10,000 words ISL Dictionary in video format. The dictionary is available on DIKSHA Portal for wider access and dissemination among stakeholders. NCERT is strengthening this dictionary by embedding audio and sub titles in the videos so that the reach of 10,000 words dictionary is not restricted to the hearing impaired only. In addition, NCERT is also collaborating with ISLRTC to add new terms and words based on school curriculum to the existing ISL Dictionary of 10,000 words. So far, NCERT has developed 800 plus ISL videos from classes I to VI and uploaded on DIKSHA for its use by hearing impaired (HI) persons. These videos are also disseminated through PM eVidya (One Class, One Channel), DTH TV Channels, on regular basis to ensure coherent access of these e-contents.
Developing audio and talking books scheme under new education policy
The National Education Policy – 2020 has mentioned the role of Technology in Education. NEP – 2020 envisions that a rich variety of educational software, for the purposes of teaching-learning and evaluation will be developed and made available for students and teachers at all levels (para 23.4, NEP-2020). All such software will be available in all major Indian languages and will be accessible to a wide range of users including students in remote areas and Divyang students (NEP 2020 23.6, Chapter 23).
The CIET-NCERT is providing books in multiple formats, such as audio, video and accessible format for Divyang students that includes text books in Indian Sign Language (ISL) and talking books. Till date 3211 audio book chapters from NCERT text books for classes 1 to 12 have been developed as audio/talking books and are uploaded on DIKSHA portal, for wider dissemination, free of cost. In addition, the audio content is also available on 230 audio stations (Gyanvani FM stations – 18, Community Ratio Stations – 80, All India Radio Stations – 132 and Internet Radio).
Vocational education to increase employability of students
Education being in the concurrent list of the Constitution, majority of the schools are under the domain of the respective State and UT Governments. Hub and Spoke model of vocational education has been introduced under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme ‘Samagra Shiksha’ from the year 2021-22. A total number of 136 hub schools and 241 spoke schools have been approved during 2021-22. Under this model, it has been envisaged to utilize the existing vocational infrastructure of hub schools for providing vocational education in nearby spoke schools. No targets were set during the last three years as the hub and spoke modelhas been introduced from the year 2021-22. Employability skills module has been made an integral part of vocational courses.
Advisory to Parents and Teachers on Children’s Safe Online Gaming
In the new era of technology, online gaming is very popular with children because of the challenges it brings to the players which excite them and making them play more which can lead to addiction. Online games can either be played on the internet itself or from another computer network. Online games can almost be found anywhere on any gaming platforms such as PC’s, consoles, and mobile devices. Online gaming can be accessed with the use of a phone or a tablet which is a common factor in online game addiction because children can easily play games anywhere anytime affecting their time for their school and social life. Furthermore, the closure of schools due to pandemic has increased use of mobile and internet by children.
However, online gaming has many downsides. Playing online games leads to a serious gaming addiction which has been considered as a gaming disorder. The game is designed in a way that each level is more complicated and complex than the previous one. This causes a player to push themselves to the limit in order to progress in the game. Therefore, playing online games with no restriction and self-limits leads many players to become addicted and are eventually diagnosed with gaming disorder. The gaming companies also emotionally compel the child to buy more levels and almost force in-app purchases.
In view of the same, advisory to parents and teachers has been recommended for wider circulation and educating them for necessary action ensuring effective use in overcoming all online gaming downsides with the associated mental and physical stress to children.
Don’ts:
- Do not allow in-game purchases without parental consent. To avoid in app purchases; OTP based payment methods may be adopted as per RBI’s guidelines.
- Avoid credit/debit cards registration on apps for subscriptions. Place an upper limit on expenditure per transaction.
- Do not let children buy directly from the laptop or mobile they use for gaming.
- Advise children not to download software and games from unknown websites.
- Tell them to be beware of clicking links, images and pop-ups in the websites as they may contain a virus and harm the computer, and may contain age-inappropriate content.
- Advise them not to give personal information over the Internet while downloading games.
- They should never share personal information with people in games and on gaming profile.
- Advise them not to communicate with strangers, including adults, through web cam, private messaging or online chat, as it increases the risk of contact from online abusers, or bullying from other players.
- Advise them against engaging in game for long hours without taking a break considering health aspects and addiction.
Do’s:
- While playing online games, if something wrong happened, stop immediately and take a screenshot (using the “print screen” button on the keyboard) and report it.
- Help your child to protect their privacy online, get them to use a screen name (avatar) that does not reveal their real name.
- Use antivirus/spyware programs and configure web browsers securely using firewall.
- Activate parental controls and safety features on the device or in the app or browser as it helps restrict access to certain content and limit spending on in-game purchases.
- Notifyif a stranger tries to start a conversation about something inappropriate or requests personal information.
- Check the age rating of any games your child is playing.
- In case of a bullying, encourage not to respond and keep a record of the harassing messages and report the behaviour to the game site administrator/block, mute or ‘unfriend’ that person from their players list, or turn off the in-game chat function.
- Play alongside your child to get a better sense of how they are handling their personal information and whothey are communicating with.
- Help your child understand that some features in online games are used to encourage more play and spending. Talk to them about gambling, what it is and its consequences both online and in the physical world.
- Always ensure that your child accesses internet from a computer placed in the family
space.
- Keep your eyes open for:
- Unusually secretive behaviour, mostly related to their online activity
- A sudden increase in the time they spend online, especially social media
- They seem to change screens on their device when approached
- They become withdrawn or angry, after using the internet or sending text messages
- Their device suddenly has many new phone numbers ·and email contacts.
- Install internet gateway at home which has features like monitoring, logging and controlling the types of content that the children can access.
- Teachers need to keep an eye on falling grades and social behaviour of the students.
- If teachers observe something that may seem suspicious or alarming, they should inform the school authorities immediately.
- Teachers should ensure that children are sensitized about the pros and cons of the internet from time to time.
- Teachers should train students for secure configuration of web browsers & web applications.
TO REPORT ANY UNTOWARD INCIDENT, USE THE FOLLOWING LINKS:
National Helpline- https://cybercrime.gov.in/Webform/Helpline.aspx
Statewise Nodal Officers- https://cybercrime.gov.in/Webform/Crime_NodalGrivanceList.aspx
Online Education in Backward Areas
Covid-19 was an unprecedented crisis across the world and has affected all the countries. The pandemic has led to severe disruption in normal life, including closure of schools.
Education is in the concurrent list of the Constitution and majority of the schools are under the domain of respective State and UT Governments. However, in order to ensure that every student including those residing in rural and educationally backward districts of the country, gets continued access to education, a multi-pronged approach has been adopted. A comprehensive initiative called PM e-VIDYA has been initiated as part of Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan 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. 35 of the 36 states and UTs have on boarded on DIKSHA platform and contextualised the content as per the local need.
- One earmarked Swayam Prabha TV channel per class from Class 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.
Further, an Alternate Academic Calendar has been prepared for providing learning solutions for grade 1 to 12 and ‘Students’ Learning Enhancement Guidelines’ prepared by NCERT suggest models for the following three types of scenarios to ensure that no child is deprived of reach of education:
a) Learning Enhancement during COVID-19 for students without digital devices;
b) Learning Enhancement during COVID-19 for students with limited accessibility to digital devices &
c) Learning Enhancement during COVID-19 for students with digital devices.
Also, PRAGYATA guidelines issued to States/UTs to facilitate continued education through various modes. The guidelines inter-alia includes situations where internet connectivity is not available or available with very less bandwidth where resources are shared through various platforms like television, radio etc that do not depend on internet.
Besides, the Ministry has undertaken a proactive initiative, named, ‘MANODARPAN’ covering a wide range of activities to provide psychosocial support to students, teachers and families for Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing during the COVID outbreak and beyond.
The Ministry had conducted a survey in the month of July, 2020 with the help of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) and Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to understand the scenario of Online Learning of school students in COVID-19 pandemic situation. The details of the survey and findings are given in Chapter – 3 of the Learning Enhancement guidelines, which may be accessed at the following links:
1. https://www.education.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/Learning_Enhancement_0.pdf
2. https://seshagun.gov.in/sites/default/files/update/Learning_Enhancement.pdf
3. https://ncert.nic.in/pdf/announcement/Learning_%20Enhancement_Guidelines.pdf
National Achievement Survey (NAS) is conducted to enable States/UTs to identify gaps in learning outcomes, and take remedial steps. NAS 2021 has been conducted on 12th November 2021.
The Central Government is constantly advising States/UTs through guidelines and meetings with respect to interventions for reducing impact of pandemic on education. The guidelines issued so far are given below:
Free Coaching for Competitive Exams
In order to help the students to practice well for NEET (UG) and JEE (Main) entrance examinations, National Testing Agency (NTA), has launched a Mobile App ‘National Test Abhyas’ to facilitate candidates’ access to high quality mock tests online free of cost. For NEET (UG), 14.11 lakh students have registered in this mobile app for test practice and 81.24 lakh Sessions of Mock Test have been conducted. For JEE (Main), 9.59 lakh students have registered for test practice and 50.73 lakh Sessions of Mock Test have been conducted. In the interest of students including the most disadvantaged, Government has launched Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds (SWAYAM), which offers interactive course content such as video lectures, reading material, self-assessment through tests and quizzes and online discussion forum for clearing doubts for students from Class 9 to Post-Graduation. The content can be accessed free of cost by anyone, anywhere at any time. Another initiative of the Government called Indian Institute of Technology – Professor Assisted Learning (IIT-PAL) provides video content in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics prepared by IIT Professors for Class XI and Class XII students aspiring to join IITs and other Institutions. The content is available free of cost on dedicated DTH channels of SWAYAM PRABHA.
Education for poor
The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, mandates the appropriate Government to provide free and compulsory elementary education to every child of the age 6 to 14 years in a neighbourhood school.Education is a subject in the concurrent list of the Constitution and majority of the schools are under the control of the respective State Governments. Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education is implementing SamagraShiksha to support States and UTs in implementation of the RTE Act, 2009. Ensuring equity and inclusion at all levels of school education is one of the major objectives of SamagraShiksha. The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) shows equitable participation of children belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) in education, which is as under:
|
GER |
All Children |
SC Children |
ST Children |
|
Primary |
102.74 |
113.11 |
107.11 |
|
Upper Primary |
89.67 |
97.07 |
93.48 |
|
Secondary |
77.90 |
83.02 |
76.72 |
(Source :- UDISE+ 2019-2020)
SamagraShiksha attempts to reach out to girls, and children belonging to SC, ST, Minority communities, etc. SC, ST and minority Special Focus Districts (SFDs) have been identified on the basis of adverse performance on various indicators of enrolment, retention, and gender parity, as well as concentration of SC, ST and minority communities. To ensure equitable education to the most deprived sections of the society,SamagraShiksha has various provisions like free textbooks, uniform, Kasturba Gandhi BalikaVidyalayasfor girls, NetajiSubhas Chandra Bose AwasiyaVidyalayas/Hostels for areas which are sparsely populated with low density of population (mostly tribal areas). These efforts have resulted in increase in transition rate of SC and ST students across all levels of education. The details for last three years are as under:
|
Transition Rate (Source :- UDISE) |
SC |
ST |
|||||
|
2017-18 |
2018-19 |
2019-20 |
2017-18 |
2018-19 |
2019-20 |
||
|
Primary to Upper Primary |
88.56 |
88.54 |
90.64 |
91.64 |
90.77 |
92.38 |
|
|
Elementary to Secondary |
86.40 |
87.08 |
88.92 |
85.89 |
87.52 |
87.49 |
|
|
Secondary to Higher Secondary |
62.99 |
64.61 |
68.11 |
61.74 |
62.80 |
62.78 |
|
A comprehensive initiative called PMeVidya has been started which aims to unify all efforts related to digital/online/on-air education to enable multi-mode access to education. The initiative includes all forms of digital modes to provide wide access – DIKSHA (online), SWAYAM (online), SWAYAM PRABHA (TV), other TV Channels including use of Doordarshan and AIR Networks. Further, PRAGYATA guidelines were issued to States/UTs to facilitate continued education through various modes. The guidelines inter-alia include situations where internet connectivity is not available or available with very less bandwidth, these resources are shared through various platforms like television, radio etc that do not depend on internet. An Alternate Academic Calendar has been prepared for learning solutions for grade 1 to 12 for both children with and without device. Besides these, community radio, worksheets & textbooks supplied to residence of learners, home visits by teachers, community classes, toll free numbers, SMS based requests for audio content, localised radio content for edutainment etc. have been used. The steps taken by all the states and UTs are shown in the India Report Digital Education, June 2020, which is available at the following link:https://www.education.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/India_Report_Digital_Education_0.pdf
Young and Budding Authors
As per the announcement of the Prime Minister in the ‘Mann kiBaat’ Talk on 31st January 2021, the ‘Young, Upcoming and Versatile Authors’ (YUVA) scheme, a mentorship programme to train young authors, was launched by the Ministry of Education on 29th May 2021 as part of the “AzadikaAmritMahotsav” programme.
The launch of PM-YUVA is in tune with the vision to encourage young writers to write about India’s freedom struggle. In the scheme, the young generation authorswrite about freedom fighters, incidents associated with freedom, the saga of valour during the period of freedom struggle in their respective areas – as the best tribute to the heroes of India’s freedom – as we celebrate 75 years of Indian Independence.
The scheme is aimed at training 75 aspiring writers below 30 years, who are ready to express themselves and project India and its culture and literature globally. A consolidated scholarship of Rs 50,000 per month for a period of six months per author will be paid under the mentorship scheme in addition to being mentored by eminent authors.
The first edition of the 75 books selected under PM-YUVA Scheme will be published in their original language only. The books will be translated into other languages on case-to-case basis after publication of first edition, ensuring the exchange of culture and literature, thereby promoting ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’.
Safety of Students in Schools
Education is a subject in the concurrent list of the Constitution and therefore safety and security of the school children come under the purview of the respective States and UTs.Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education has developedGuidelines on School Safety and Security, which, interalia, contain provisions for fixing the accountability of the school management in the matter of safety and security of children studying in Government, Government-aided and Private Schools. These guidelines have been circulated to all States/UTs/Autonomous Bodies of DoSEL and Stakeholder Ministries on 01.10.2021. The guidelines detail the accountability of various stakeholders and different departments in ensuring the safety and security of children in schools.The guidelines issued by the center are advisory in nature and States/UTs are expected to implement them and they may incorporate additions/modifications to them, if deemed necessary, according to their specific requirements. These guidelines are uploaded on the website of DoSEL at
https://dsel.education.gov.in/archivesupdate?title=&field_update_category_target_id=All.
Studies through Online and Multimedia
To facilitate the online learning by all students a comprehensive initiative called PM eVIDYA has been initiated as part of AtmaNirbhar 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 the nation’s digital infrastructure for providing quality e-content for school education in states/UTs and QR coded Energized Textbooks for all grades (one nation, one digital platform). Till date (25.11.2021) DIKSHA has more than 402 crores learning sessions, more than 4,844 crore learning minutes and more than 2,730 crores page hits with more than 5 crore average daily page hits. A total of 2,27,704pieces of e-contents are live on DIKSHA as on date.
- One earmarked SwayamPrabha TV channel per class from 1 to 12 (one class, one channel): The same content is simulcast through YouTube and Jio channels, where the viewership as per latest data is 7,48,06,128.
- Extensive use of Radio, Community radio and CBSE Podcast- ShikshaVani: 3,211 pieces of curriculum-based radio programmes (Classes 1 -12) for its dissemination/ broadcast on 230 Radio Stations (18 GyanVani FM Radio Stations, 80 Community Radio Stations), 132 All India Radio stations, Podcasts on iRadio and JioSaavn Mobile apps.
- Special e-content for visually and hearing impaired developed on Digitally Accessible Information System (DAISY) and in sign language on NIOS website/ YouTube: In all 767 textbook based ISL videos recorded. Out of these 510 textbook based on ISL videos are uploaded on DIKSHA. Out of 10,000 word ISL dictionary words, all 10,000 ISL dictionary words have been uploaded on DIKSHA. 3,142 audio books chapters are also uploaded on DIKSHA. The data given w.r.t. DIKSHA usage, includes this e-content.
Conducting all national level examinations in scheduled languages
The Government has established National Testing Agency (NTA) as an autonomous and self-sustained premier testing organization to conduct entrance examinations for higher educational institutions in the Country. NTA has conducted major competitive exams in the following scheduled languages:
- NEET (UG) 2021 in Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Tamil ,Telugu, Urdu & Punjabi;
- JEE (Main) 2021 in Assamese, Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Hindi, and Gujarati;
- All India Sainik School Entrance Examination (AISSEE) 2021 for Class VI in Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Tamil, Punjabi, Telugu & Urdu.
It has also been decided to conduct Common University Entrance Test (CUET) for Central Universities in the above mentioned scheduled languages.
The translation of the Question Papers in NEET (UG) had been done properly, from source to target and target to source, in 12 scheduled languages.
Training to teachers on new education policy
A teacher’s fest ‘ShikshakParv’ was organized from8thto 25thSeptember 2020for discussing various recommendations of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and its implementation strategies. This year also ShikshakParv was organized from 5th to 17th September, 2021 through virtual mode. Policy makers, administrators, academicians, experts, school principals, head-teachers and teachers participated in the ShikshakParv to share their experiences, learnings and discuss the way forward to realise the aspirations of NEP-2020.
In addition, the National Mission to improve learning outcomes at the Elementary level through an Integrated Teacher Training Programme called NISHTHA – National Initiative for School Heads and Teachers Holistic Advancement was launched by the Department of School Education and Literacy.The teacher training modules of NISHTHA have been aligned with the recommendations of NEP 2020.
Further, an online consultation process to invite suggestions from teachers to implement NEP 2020 was initiated at http://www.MyGov.in portal. Around 15 lakh suggestions were received from teachers which were forwarded to NCERT, CBSE and States/UTs.
Developing world-class higher education institutes and Universities
The Government of India has launched the World Class Institutions Scheme in the year 2017 to enable ten institutions each from the public and private category to have world class academic & research facilities and grant them the status of Institution of Eminence (IoE). So far, notifications have been issued for eleven institutions (08 public & 03 private). Significant amount of autonomy in academic, administrative & financial matters has been provided under the regulatory framework to these institutions so that they can emerge as global educational institutions. Financialassistance of uptoRs. 1000 Crore (over a period of five years) is provided by the Government to each of public Institutions of Eminence.
DIKSHA for children with disabilities
DIKSHA is the platform for providing quality e-content for school education in States/UTs and QR coded Energized Textbooks for all grades (one nation, one digital platform). DIKSHA complies with World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 level AA. This enables people with visual impairments to access the website using assistive technologies, such as screen readers.
Special e-content for visually and hearing impaired developed on Digitally Accessible Information System (DAISY) and in sign language on NIOS website/ YouTube. In all 767 textbook based ISL videos have been recorded. Out of these 510 textbook based on ISL videos are uploaded on DIKSHA. The 10,000 word ISL dictionary has been uploaded on DIKSHA. 3,142 audio books chapters are also uploaded on DIKSHA.
67th Convocation of IIT Kharagpur
The determination of our new generation, spirit of enterprise & innovation and strength of educational institutions has resulted in India achieving many remarkable feats in the 21st century, including administering more than 130 crore COVID jabs, said Union Education and Skill Development Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan at the 67th Convocation of IIT Kharagpur.
Shri Pradhan said as we celebrate Amrit Mahotsav, he feel privileged to be at the temple of learning, a place where many of our freedom fighters, including the great Jayee Rajguru fought for freedom. IIT Kharagpur has shaped the national discourse and contributed to India’s growth since inception, he added.
The Minister stated that there are more than 50 crore children between the age of 3 and 23 and there is an enormous opportunity in equipping this population with the right education & skills. Critical mindset, qualitative workforce will help India to drive the global economy in the 21st century,he added.
Shri Pradhan expressed that low-cost innovative alternative energy models, innovation in specialised areas of semiconductor chip manufacturing will not only lead to economic empowerment and job creation, it will also lead to Purvodaya and a self-reliant India. He further said that life is unimaginable without ‘Energy & Internet’, a fact further accentuated in the present times. By 2035 India will be the number one energy consumer. India’s climate leadership has resulted in our country having the most conducive alternate energy business climate, he added.
Reiterating Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s call for innovation during the inauguration of Kashi Vishwanath Dham, the Minister encouraged the students to ‘Innovate to empower the marginalised’ and to ensure developmental strides in every sphere.
The Minister expressed his confidence that IIT Kharagpur will be the epicentre in adding momentum to the spirit of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and in placing India at the top of the emerging new world order. The intellectual prowess and excellence of students here will make them pioneers of new thought leadership.He extended his best wishes to the students who have graduated today and all the students & distinguished alumni who have received medals and awards.
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