100 universities to go online, TV channels for students, special content for visually and hearing impaired - India's big boost for education during Covid-19

• The Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the top 100 educational institutions in India will be automatically allowed to start courses online from May 30, 2020.
  
• Sitharaman said that the government is also rolling out special e-content for the visually and hearing impaired.
  
• The government is leveraging digital adoption as it moves to ‘one class, one channel’ strategy’.
  
• Under this, the courses will be taught via live interactions and aired on TV channels for students from 1st to 12th grade.
  
• Given the delay in the academic year, the government has tied up with private DTH operators like Tata Sky to air educational content on TV.

From e-learning to QR coded educational content, the Indian government has rolled out an array of initiatives to facilitate remote learning during the COVID-19 crisis.

Under the PM e-Vidya initiative, today (May 17), the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the top 100 educational institutions in India will be automatically allowed to start courses online from May 30, 2020. This will kick start the learning calendar for students this academic year.

This is in line with announcements made during the budget session which said that ‘degree-level’ full-fledged online courses will be launched in India to provide quality education to the underprivileged.

Addressing the fifth press conference, Sitharaman said that the government is also rolling out special e-content for visually and hearing impaired.

Since March 2020, all the schools and colleges have been shut due to coronavirus and there is no confirmation on reopening of schools yet. The government is leveraging digital adoption as it moves to ‘one class, one channel’ strategy.

Under this, the courses will be taught via live interactions and aired on TV channels for students from 1st to 12th grade to access it. It will also introduce at least 12 educational channels to keep the learning continuity for students. As many as 200 textbooks have been added to e-pathshala and 61 crore students have accessed the courses on Diksha platform, as on March 24.

Given the delay in the academic year, the government has tied up with private DTH operators like Tata Sky to air educational content on TV. The students and teachers can also communicate with experts via skype.

Additionally, for the psychological support for students, teachers and family during the corona crisis, programmes for emotional well being and mental health will also be launched.

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