Covid crisis has showcased the resilience and innovation of the education system

Context:  Short-term and strategic initiatives in the Education sector in the backdrop of the Pandemic.

Some recent past initiatives: 

• Focus on the girl child’s education, modernization of the educational infrastructure, schemes to construct more than 400 new Ekalavya Model Residential Schools, YUKTI web portal, and National Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Mission to boost literacy, etc. are some notable measures.

Pandemic and Government response: 

•  E-Vidya scheme: 

• Synergises and strengthens several distance-education projects: digital, online, and mass media. 

• Benefitting 25-crore school children: focuses on developing permanent assets for quality education for generations to come. It focuses on equity in education. 

• For the differently-abled, this scheme provides bespoke materials under the Digitally Accessible Information System (DAISY)

• The National Curriculum and Pedagogical Framework and the Bharat Padhe online campaign: Able to bringing knowledge to the grassroots. 

• Helped the ministry turn a potential disaster into a productive time for 3.3 million students.

• Addressing psychological health: With the Manodarpan program that covers both parents and students government ensured continuous monitored, running along with clear guidelines.

• University Social Responsibility (USR): 

• Free online open educational resources in English, Sanskrit, Hindi, Arabic, Chinese, French, and German etc. have been developed for those interested in learning the basics of these languages (English Pro, mobile app- Strives to improve English pronunciation in the Bharatiya way). 

• Efforts in equipping the faculty and students with e-resources. (English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) is the first Central University to have completed end-semester examinations online). 

Conclusion: The COVID-19 crisis has brought out the nation’s strengths, resilience, and innovative spirit in the education sector.