Prelims Bits » PM eVidya

PM eVidya

Why in News?

  • The use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) under a comprehensive initiative called PM eVIDYA by the Department of School education during the COVID-19 pandemic has won UNESCO’s recognition.

1.About

  • The Pradhan Mantri eVidya is an initiative by the Ministry of Education that will help in facilitating access to digital/online learning as well as teaching materials of various types among students and teachers

  • The PM eVidya scheme was launched under the One Nation One Digital Platform with the objective of protecting the education of children during the Covid-19 pandemic

  • The scheme was announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on May 18 2020. On 31st May 2020, the top 100 universities were permitted to automatically start online courses via the PM eVidya scheme

  • The finance minister also mentioned that Sawyam Prabha DTH channel would support students who do not have any access to the internet

Along with the ‘Diksha’, an e-content and QR embedded book for all classes, the PM eVidya scheme also have the following programs:

  • For those studying in the 12th grade a TV channel called 12th One Class was launched

  • The government would also ensure that visually and hearing impaired students are accommodated by making specialised e-content and radio broadcasts

  • The government carried out these efforts so that there would be no impact on the education of students when the countrywide lockdown was imposed

2.Benefits

The benefits of the PM eVidya program are as follows:

  • A channel dedicated to education on TV will help students who do not have access to the Internet

  • It will be a one-stop solution for all learning needs of students

  • Special radio podcasts will be arranged for blind and hearing impaired students

  • Students can study through e-content at the comfort of their homes