The proposed digital university bill in the budget of 2022 is helmed as a game-changer today. The Indian education system looks all set to undergo a huge change. For all the uninitiated, the budget of 2022 has brought forth a digital education concept that aims to bridge the gap between local and national. Now, it is possible to reach the remotest corner of the country and deliver quality education. According to recent reports, this initiative has the potential to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio from 27% to 50%. This proposed bill is a part of the Prime Minister’s Achieving Atmanirbharta through the Amrit Mantra of Digital Education and Dynamic Skilling’.
Digital University: Making World-Class Higher Education Accessible for All
The Panelists at the webinar have stated that there needs to be more emphasis on a multilingual, accessible, and immersive learning environment. Eminent panelists moderated the government-initiated webinar from the field of education like Prof. Anil Sahasrabudhe, AICTE Chairman, Dr Swati Piramal, Vice Chairperson, Piramal Group, Prof. M Jagadeesh Kumar, Chairman, UGC, and Prof. V Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras. The Chair and Co-Chair of the meeting were K Sanjay Murthy, Secretary of Higher Education, and K Rajaraman, Secretary of DOT. Most of the proponents pointed towards blended learning, which involves physical and online sessions.
Some crucial points for the project are:
Implementation of Better Internet Connectivity:
The DOT Secretary said that after BharatNet is implemented, it can lead to a sea of change in how education in India is delivered. The government plans to make education affordable for all through digital media to cover as many as six lakh villages in India with the help of high-speed broadband. It will enable learning at different levels, from certificate to post graduation.
It Aims to Secure Girl’s Education:
The VP Piramal Group involves themselves in spreading education to the masses in India. This education system aims to make education accessible for all, including female strength. In pandemic times, ratio of girl drop outs increased. The initiative plans to take healthcare education for all into its ambit through digital means. Piramal Education University has already roped in as many as 5,000 young people to give wings to the dream.
Affiliation of Colleges to Digital Universities:
The digital university change education proponents also discussed the possibility of colleges being affiliated with various digital universities. The colleges can get affiliated to the digital university and then give local support in more ways than one. It can further decrease the barrier.
University-edtech collaborations:
One of the panelists, Chairman, UGC has also stated during the webinar that the government is taking initiatives to help the students who pursue education from digital universities to get employment in Edtech companies. The main aim is to capitalize on the digital content created on cloud platforms, and better use IT resources to give students an immersive educational experience.
The major aim of the Digital University is to increase the access of all the students to higher-level education through ICT tools. Students can access courses at various levels, too. The Digital University will have a Hub and Spoke model.
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Technology, digital content creation, and higher education engagement are Digital universities’ three most important components. These can bring about a massive change to the educational scenario in India in the times to come. The proposed bill can catapult India on a global platform as a virtual education provider in India. Thus, we all look forward to deploying this huge educational infrastructure for the betterment of the country as a whole.
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