Education in a self-reliant India! Best teachers cannot always reach grassroots, digital content can

The proposed reforms could lead to a positive shift in the quality of education. Currently, even though we live in an era of online education, digital accessibility is an issue.

By Sahil Aggarwal

Education is one of the focal areas of Atmanirbhar Bharat. The proposed reforms could lead to a positive shift in the quality of education. Currently, even though we live in an era of online education, digital accessibility is an issue. Also, according to a Deloitte and GiveIndia report, there is an acute shortage of qualified teachers. While the best teachers cannot always reach the grassroots, digital content can.

With a multi-channel approach to combat these issues, now TV channels can run educational content for classes 1 to 12. This will be supplemented by radio and podcasts. With this, the grassroots network of government schools should be viewed more as ‘learning zones’ rather than ‘training institutions’. Edtech companies can chip in by customising the content to the local context.

According to a KPMG report, about 50 lakh students will be looking to enrol in higher education institutions in this academic season alone, so allowing institutions to provide online degrees was a much-awaited reform. Pacing up with the developed countries, hereon students from the remotest and poorest of backgrounds will have access to the best learning content. Moreover, what we need is capacity-building for parents and teachers to engage with this new form of learning. The upcoming NEP needs to structure these reforms further.

These reforms have to be seen beyond the theatrics of learning on phone, TV, and over the radio. India has to engage in a deep, structural change in the education system, rather than sporadic announcements and budgetary allocations for us to call this a success.

The author is co-founder, Rishihood University, Sonipat, and Rashtram School of Public Leadership