Tag: GS 2 || Governance & Social Justice || Human Development || Education

Why In News?

Union HRD Ministry has launched one of world’s largest Integrated Online Junction for – School Education ‘Shagun’.

It also announced the setting up of the Integrated National School Education Treasury (INSET).

Shagun

School Education Shagun is an over-arching initiative to improve school education system by creating a junction for all online portals and websites relating to various activities of the Department of School Education and Literacy.

for all online portals and websites relating to various activities of the The word Shagun is coined from two different words- ‘Shala’ meaning Schools and ‘Gunvatta’ meaning Quality.

is coined from two different words- This online junction of different websites and portals into a single platform is aimed enhance the accessibility of information relating to schools and to ensure a holistic approach to transform education sector.

Integrated National School Education Treasury (INSET)

INSET envisages a fully integrated, instantly accessible and seamless information network for all parameters relating to the students, teachers, and schools in the country.

The main focus will be on the following areas:

Reinforcing and cleaning the data of the Integrated Online Junction through feedback from Stakeholders

Ensuring full inter-operability among the websites, portals and applications which are already hosted in the junction

which are already hosted in the junction Creating high quality e-contents, including quizzes and puzzles to enhance learning and also for teachers in aiding classroom transactions

and puzzles to enhance learning and also for teachers in aiding classroom transactions Using AI and deep machine learning in a variety of ways to enhance the quality of school education including for designing evidence based inventions.

4 digital initiatives to push e-education

All these digital initiatives are operational under Union Ministry of Human Resource and Development.

Swayam and Swayam Prabha:

Swayam and Swayam Prabha are digital classrooms the contents of which can be accessed either through the Internet or direct-to-home service respectively.

Through Swayam, courses will be offered through digital classrooms with study material available online in videos. It will be available free of cost, however, students wanting certifications shall be registered shall be offered a certificate of successful completion of the course, with a small fee, the Swayam website states.

The student will have the opportunity to ask questions which will be answered in real time. Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian has also prepared a series of lectures on the Indian economy for Swayam and Swayam Prabha.

The students will be assessed through proctored examination and the marks and grades secured in this exam could be transferred to the academic record of the students, according to the website.

and the marks and grades secured in this exam could be transferred to the Swayam Prabha will tap into the potential of Direct- to-Home Service wherein a person can install the dish antenna for about Rs 1,500 and have access to 32 digital educational channels run by the HRD ministry.

National Digital Library

National Digital Library is a large online library containing 6.5 million books. It provides free access to many books in English and the Indian languages.

National Academic Depository

It is a digital depository of academic awards for authenticating all certificates issued by institutions.

National Academic Depository will directly integrate with Boards/Universities which issue Certificates which will be verified, authenticated, accessed and retrieved in a digital depository for purpose of employment, higher education, and loans.

Operation Digital Board

The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has launched Operation Digital Board (ODB) to leverage technology in order to boost quality education in the country.

has launched Operation Digital Board (ODB) to leverage technology in order to boost quality education in the country. ODB aims to have digital and interactive boards in every classroom, which is on the lines of Operation Blackboard which was started in 1987 to supply the bare minimum crucial facilities to all primary schools in the country.

supply the bare minimum crucial facilities to all primary schools in the country. The digital board will be introduced all over the country in government and government aided schools from class 9th onwards as well as in higher education institutions, from the coming session of 2019 itself.

in higher education institutions, from the coming University Grants Commission (UGC) will be the implementing agency for ODB in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). It will be implemented as a Central scheme, as a loan from Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA).

Mains Question

What are various digital initiatives in HRD sector?

Additional Info –

Websites of 1200 Kendriya Vidyalayas, 600 Navodaya Vidyalayas, 18000 other CBSE affiliated schools, 30 SCERTs, 19000 organisations affiliated with NTCE among others are integrated with Shagun.

CBSE affiliated schools, affiliated others are integrated with Shagun. Report cards of 15 lakh schools all over the country will be available on the newly created junction.

will be available on the newly created junction. The portal seeks to connect approximately 92 lakh teachers and 26 crore students.

The website provides a very robust feedback mechanism. Common people can directly give their feedback about schools which will further increase the public participation and will ensure accountability and transparency.

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/hrd-ministry-launches-school-education-portal-shagun/article29280832.ece