Ganesh Kendale
NEW DELHI: Concerned over dependence on private coaching which often creates barriers for students from low-income backgrounds as well as creating an unequal field for aspirants from underserved regions, Centre is setting an ambitious target of assisting 12.5 lakh competitive exam candidates by 2029.
The ministry of education will take up this key agenda with states during a two-day consultation on implementation of National Education Policy, 2020, from Tuesday, where MoE officials will deliberate with their state/ UT counterparts along with issues like accreditation and digital learning, among others.
According to ministry officials, Centre is preparing to discuss measures to reduce “reliance on private coaching and extend support for students’ competitive exam preparation.” According to the agenda accessed by TOI, “SATHEE – reducing coaching dependency” focuses on free digital resources for competitive exam preparation, AI-based learning tools, collaboration with IITs and AIIMS for high-quality content, resources on DTH platforms and efforts to democratise “access to competitive exam preparation.”
According to a govt official, “Through this programme, the govt hopes to create a level playing field by offering structured support, particularly for those in underserved regions”.
One of NE’s primary objectives is the widespread accreditation of higher education institutions. By 2029, the govt aims to achieve a 90% accreditation rate, with a goal of positioning at least 10 Indian HEIs among the world’s top 200. The meeting agenda also covers strategies to expand digital learning, with the govt targeting two core new enrolments over the next five years through SWAYAM courses.
