Lok Sabha Question No. 1703 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-02-11
Subject: Online Classes Facility for Minority Students
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: Dharambir Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1703

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.02.2021

## ONLINE CLASSES FACILITY FOR MINORITY STUDENTS

## 1703. SHRI DHARAMBIR SINGH:

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether any online classes facility was provided to the needy minority students by the Government during the worldwide pandemic;
- (b) if so, the details thereof, State-wise including Haryana;
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether any scheme for making smart library and classes at village level for minority students has been launched by the Government and if so, the details thereof;
- (e) if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (f)  whether  there  is  no  need  to  start  smart  library/  class  keeping  in  view  the  current situation by the Government and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS (SHRI MUKHTAR ABBAS NAQVI)

- (a)  to  (f):      Online  classes  are  being  conducted  at  the  schools  by  employing  various digital  tools  in  the  form  of  DIKSHA  portal  (https://diksha.gov.in/),  SWAYAM  Portal (swayam.gov.in), SWAYAM Prabha, DD Channel, e-Pathshala (https://epathshala.nic.in/), NROER (National Repository of Open Educational Resources) portal (https://nroer.gov.in/welcome).

Learning programmes have also been started in the form of offline learning tools radio,  community  radio,  CBSE  podcasts,   toll  free  numbers,  missed  call,  SMS  based requests for audio content, localized radio content for edutainment etc. The medium of TV, radio has been used for the students who do not have digital means.

The  state  governments  have  also  been  directed  to  act  based  on  the  situation prevailing  at  every  place  to  meet  the  demands  of  all  students  including  economically weaker students and tribes especially for providing them with the digital access required for learning digitally.

The steps taken by all the states are shown in this report - India Report Digital Education June 2020 which is available at: https://www.mhrd.gov.in/sites/upload\_files/mhrd/files/India\_Report\_Digital\_Education\_0. pdf .

Education is a subject in the Concurrent List of the Constitution, and the matter relating to education pertains to Central as well as the State Government concerned.

PRAGYATA Guidelines on Digital Education: Keeping in view the availability of digital infrastructure, guideline briefs are available on various modes of digital education including  online  mode  that  depends  more  on  availability  of  internet,  partially  online mode that utilizes the blended approach of digital technology and other offline activities, partial  and  offline  mode  that  utilizes  television  and  radio  as  a  major  medium  of instruction of education. The guidelines can be accessed at: https://mhrd.gov.in/sites/upload\_files/mhrd/files/pragyata-guidelines\_0.pdf

Internet access under BHARAT NET scheme has been made available to Govt institutions and  to improve  the  internet connectivity  in  rural  areas  the  CSC  eGovernance Services  India  Ltd  (CSC-SPV)  of  MEITY  has  been  assigned  the  task  of providing  Fibre  to  the  Home  (FTTH)  connectivity  to  the  Government  Institutions, including  schools.  This  project  is  for  providing  Internet  connection  to  Government schools in respective Gram Panchayats.

Further,  the  Ministry  implements  Pradhan  Mantri  Jan  Vikas  Karyakram  in identified  Minority  Concentration  Areas  (MCAs)  of  the  country  with  the  objective    to develop socio-economic assets and basic amenities for improving quality of life of the people  in these  areas.  Under  the  scheme  projects  in  priority sectors including education,  are  sanctioned.  The  projects  for  installation  of  Smart  Classes,  Computer Labs etc are amongst such projects.  Till date, projects for installation of 8453 units of Smart Classes at the total cost of Rs 23511.77 lakh and 279 projects for computer/computer labs at the total cost of Rs.4194.4 lakh have been sanctioned under the scheme. The further details of the projects are available at http://minorityaffairs.gov.in.

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