While announcing the Covid package of Rs 20-lakh crore, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman informed that the government has taken various steps to boost online education during lockdown. The PM e-Vidya programme  will be launched immediately for multi-mode access to digital/ online education. Under the programme, there will be 12 DTH channels introduced, with one each dedicated to classes 1 to 12.

In the Covid package, Sitharaman also added that the top 100 universities will be permitted to start online courses by May 30 which includes IITs, IIMs, institutes of eminence and national institutes.

The government has launched Swayam Prabha DTH channels. As reported by ANI, the finance minister said, the channels will “support and reach those who do not have access to the internet, now 12 more channels will be added.” 

The Swayam Prabha is a group of 32 DTH channels that provide educational content on topics such as arts, science, commerce, performing arts, social sciences and humanities subjects, engineering, technology, medicine, and agriculture. The free-to-air education channels by the MHRD channels will offer users around six hours of pre-recorded content on four different subjects daily. It also allows students to clear their doubts through a helpline.

Besides, Manodarpan, an initiative for psycho-social support of students, teachers and families will also be launched immediately.

Source: The Indian Express

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