Source: thehindu.com

In a bid to provide wider access to adaptive learning technologies, the Centre plans to launch a new scheme in partnership with companies using artificial intelligence to make learning more personalised and customised as per the learner’s requirements. Start-ups which join the government platform must offer 25% free coupons for students from disadvantaged communities, said a statement from the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) on Thursday.

The National Educational Alliance for Technology (NEAT) is expected to begin operations by early November. The public-private partnership scheme aims to harness technology for better learning outcomes in higher education. The Ministry aims to bring start-up companies working on this technology under a common platform for easier access to students.

‘Freely available’

“MHRD would act as a facilitator to ensure that the solutions are freely available to a large number of economically backward students. MHRD would create and maintain a National NEAT platform that would provide one-stop access to these technological solutions,” said the statement, adding that the All India Council for Technical Education will be the government’s implementing agency for the programme.

EdTech companies will be responsible for developing solutions and managing registration of learners through the NEAT portal. While they are free to charge their own fees, they will have to offer free coupons for 25% of their total registrations on the portal as “their contribution towards the national cause,” said the statement. MHRD will then distribute the free coupons to the most socially and economically backward students.

NEAT will be administered by an apex committee constituted by the Ministry, with independent expert panels being set up to evaluate and select the best EdTech solutions.