Lok Sabha Question No. 5 (STARRED), answered on 2021-07-19
Subject: Promotion of online education
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Balashowry Vallabbhaneni

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 5 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.07.2021

## Promotion of online education

## *5. SHRI BALASHOWRY VALLABHANENI:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  15 th Finance  Commission  has  allocated  Rs.5,000  crores  for  promotion  of online education in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  any  assessment  has  been  made  about  the  requirement  of  laptops  for  college students in the country;
- (d) if so, the details thereof with a particular reference to Andhra Pradesh; and
- (e) the  details  of  the  action  plan  prepared/being  prepared  to  spend  this  amount  within  the award period?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF EDUCATION (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

Part (a) to (e) A Statement is laid on the table of the House.

*****

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF  LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 5 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.07.2021 ASKED BY SHRI BALASHOWRY VALLABHANENI HON'BLE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT REGARDING 'PROMOTION OF ONLINE EDUCATION'.

- (a) to (c): The 15 th Finance Commission has recommended, a grant of Rs. 6,143 Cr. for online learning and development of professional courses in regional languages (matribhasha) for higher education  in  India.  This  includes  promotion  of  online  education  through  the  development  of Massive  Open  Online  Courses  (MOOCs),  direct-to-home  (DTH)  content  development,  digital classrooms and provision of devices (laptop/ tablets) for 25 lakhs students belonging to socially and  economically  weaker  sections  of  the  society.  The  inter  se  distribution  between  states  has been made on the basis of 2011 census population.
- (d): An amount of Rs. 250 Cr. has been allocated for state of Andhra Pradesh out of total amount of Rs. 6,143 Cr. recommended.
- (e): 15 th Finance Commission, in their report has recommended following year-wise distribution for this grant:

Rs. in Cr.

| Year    | Online Education   | Online Education   | Online Education   | Online Education   | Development of professional courses in regional   | Total   |
|---------|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|---------------------------------------------------|---------|
|         | MOOCs Developments | DTH                | Device             | Digital classrooms | languages                                         |         |
| 2021-22 | 68                 | 3                  | 449                | 400                | 213                                               | 1133    |
| 2022-23 | 83                 | 5                  | 463                | 413                | 213                                               | 1177    |
| 2023-24 | 129                | 13                 | 477                | 427                | 213                                               | 1259    |
| 2024-25 | 148                | 14                 | 492                | 436                | 213                                               | 1303    |
| 2025-26 | 91                 | 11                 | 505                | 451                | 213                                               | 1271    |
| Total   | 519                | 46                 | 2386               | 2127               | 1065                                              | 6143    |

*****