Citation
Dr. Ramavath
Nageswar Rao
Ph. D, Department
of Public administration
UCA&SS, Osmania
University, Hyderabad-07
Abstract
E-Learning or Digital Education in tribal
areas of India enabling for bridging the rural – urban divide through measures
such as Ekalavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS), Digital Literature program,
Digital Channels, Robotic Learning and the TALASH Initiative. Microsoft
collaboration facilitating a partnership with Microsoft offers an Artificial
Intelligence (AI) curriculum in English and Hindi to EMRS schools and training
for training for teachers. Platform called Adi Vidyalaya strives for preserving
indigenous traditions and art in digital way. Dristi Foundation is providing
digital classroom initiative that helps tribal students in remote areas of our
country. Program like DIKSHA-Digital Infrastructure for knowledge sharing, e Patashala,
Swayam Prabha channels, Shala Darpan, Shala Siddha, E-Grandhalaya, DISHA,
PMGDISHA etc, are providing digital education for Tribal students generally who
live in villages of India. UNISED India is working with working with divers
government sponsored program on Digital education and virtual learning towards
the success of Digital India following inclusive way that facilitating digital
education for tribal students through subverting Digital divide in India.
Keywords: Digital Education, Rural -Urban divide, EMRS,
Artificial Intelligence (AI), DIKSHA-Digital infrastructure, ICT, UNISED INDIA
Virtual learning, TRIBAL Students
INTRODUCTION:
Indian tribals are the least developed in field of
education along with other fields. Efforts are being done by governments at
central and state levels to develop education status among tribals. Part of this, Government is also striving for
providing digital education for tribal students of rural India. Digital education in tribal areas enabling for
bridging the rural-urban divide through measures such as Ekalavya Model
Residential Schools (EMRS) Digital literacy program, digital channels robotic
learning and TALASH initiative. There has been a serious measure that
accelerate the task of digital education and remote learning measures across
the nation in general and rural areas in particular. Department of ministry of
education, Government of India is implementing various remote learning measures
through creative utility of Digital technology virtual learning. Virtual
learning, digital learning, online learning, computer aided learning, learning
through ICT, Digital learning experience, digital resources are the frequently
used terms in the field of education and learning. Modern progressive education
involves the application of digital technology and ICT. COVID-19 pandemic led
to the fast-tracking digital initiatives particularly in rural India wild
traditional education system was affected. Union government, state government
and UT governments are bringing educational reforms through digital education. This
measure also helps the tribal students in rural areas. Diverse digital
initiative under Padhe Bharath Badhe Bharath (PBBB), a self-program of Sarva
Shiksha Abiyan (SSA) and the same are more developed under Samagra shiksha (SS) pedagogy of digital learning
requires tools and resources.
Educational
Digital Technology Measures:
Following the provisions of the Right to free and
Compulsory Education Act, 2009 and its subsequent Amendments, it is imperative
to ensure equity in education system learning equal access to quality teaching
and learning with creative utility of resources. Digital efforts are necessary
measures for forming education system in India in general and rural India in
where most of the tribal children go to schools. Digital Infrastructure for
knowledge sharing (DIKSHA) has been started the year-2017 by union government
as a national platform for school education to solve the problems of remote
learning especially in villages of India. It in facilitated for all the students
of grade 1to 12 and accessed through a web-portal and mobile use. Following the
India Report Digital Edation-2020, DIKSHA provides access to a large number of curricula
linked e- content through several use cases and solutions like QR coded Energized
textbooks (ETBs), course for teachers, quizzes and others. It is fect that India
lives in the villages. Kothari
Commission says, ‘the destiny of India is being built in her classrooms.’ All these caution us to develop rural India
through diverse interventions of Digital India involving Digital Education
along with “Virtual learning” Hence; it is imperative measure to provide
education for tribe people. E-learning along with traditional learning makes
the tribal students equal to the general students through their bright
careers.
Digital India
Program:
The Digital India program, initiative by Union
government, brings a transformational effect on the India Digital field along
with economic state of the nation. Through connecting the digital divide in
India, It is easier to develop major sections of the Indian society and leverage
the internal strength to gain a global leadership status. Following the wider
area of the country, digital bridging the remotest village of India through
broadband and high-speed internet is the crucial measure relating to
infrastructure needs of the country. According to the ministry of Electronics
and I.T, Digital india program is a flagship program of the
govt of India with a vision to transform India into a digitally empowered society
and knowledge economy. Digital Infrastructure as a core utility to every
Citizen; governance and service on Demand and Digital Empowerment of Citizens
is the mission of this program. This
program also aimed at establishing and leveraging the unique identity (Aadhar)
which provides digital identity financial inclusion, and access to the common
service centers (CSC). Microsoft
collaboration facilitating offers an Artificial Intelligence (AI) curriculum in
English and Hindi to EMRC Schools and training for teachers. Platform called
Adi Vishwavidyalaya strives for preserving
indigenous tradition and art in digital way.
Digital
transformation continues to define the education landscape. The Budget proposes
expansion of national digital platforms, strengthening online repositories and
promoting blended learning models. Investments in rural connectivity, digital
classrooms and national online learning platforms aim to ensure that geography
does not determine opportunity. At the same time, policymakers recognize that
technology is a tool-not a substitute for mentorship. Balanced digital usage,
teacher facilitation and community engagement remain essential to preserving
the human dimension of education. Capacity building of teachers forms a
critical pillar. Continuous professional development aligned with NEP reforms
integrates technology with pedagogy. Faculty development initiatives seek to
raise instructional quality while embedding innovation in teaching
methodologies.
National e-Governance plan (2005) pared the way for
e-Governances as a method forward to facilitate delivery of public services to
the masses. Indian economy’s growth
trend is maintained through adoption of digitalization technologies for
developing the fields of agriculture, rural sector, agri-food value chain and
processed-food Initiatives such as e-Health, e-education and various citizen
services ,long-scale skill development program
are assisting to grow Indian rural economy through promoting inclusive rural
entrepreneurship and innovation particularly for rural youth and women. These
measures help tribal people for their development. The National Digital Health
mission (NDHM) also emerged as landmark task of government having digital
solutions.
The Digital India program launched new initiatives so
that the existing programs to be reflect, revamped and re-emphasized, to ensure
alignment to the goals of Digital India program. A digital platform called “my gov”
(http;//my gov.in/) establishing recently to provide collaborative and participative
governance under this program. The government of India has been prioritization wider
implementation of e-Governance schemes so that the digital India program
benefits rural masses. E-governance is
the strategy to facilitate and manage government services electronically that
empowers citizens through easy access to information. Central government is
implementing national e-Governance plan (NeGP) through organized, structured
and institutionalized approach. Department of electronics and Information
Technology (DEIT) and Department of Administrative Reforms and Public
Grievances (
PM E- VIDYA:
A comprehensive measure called PM e-VIDYA has been
initiated by central government Approximately 250 million school children are
going to get benefit across the nation on 17th May 2020. It enables
for the achieving goals of national Education policy (NEP) - 2020. This measure highlights technology to make
education accessible to all students including remote rural areas. key
components of this program, pm e-VIDYA are DIKSHA (Digital Infrastructure for
school Education), PM e - vidya DTH TV channels, SWAYAM (study webs of
active-learning for young Aspiring Minds), Radio, Community Radio & CBSE
Podcast - shiksha Vani, Digitally Accessible Information System (AISY),Virtual
labs & Skilling e-labs and e-Content for Teachers Digital Infrastructure
for knowledge Sharing(DIKSHA) has been launched by Central government of India in
2017 which acts a national for school education to solve the issues and
challenges of remote learning particularly in villages of India .It in
accessible for the all students of grades 1 to 12 and will be accessed through
a web portal and mobile use. This
program offers access to a wide range of curriculum relating e-content via many
use cases and solutions like QR coded Energized Textbooks (ETBs), courses for
teachers, quizzes and others.
e - Patashala is a joint measure of government for the
goal of showcasing and disseminating all educational e-resources involving
audio-video resources, periodicals and wide range of other digital resources.
The e - Patashala Mobile app is structured to solve the problem of digital
divide of rural India by enabling the communities of teachers, student’s educators
and parents ease of access to e- Books, ICT interventions and several other
virtual and digital resources. In this way, it serves rural Indian people to
access hard and soft materials through mobile apps and websites. Swayam Prabha
channels are the access to digital education via TV channels while Swayam Prabha
DTH channels help and reach the people who do have access to the internet. By
the 2020, 32 channels landmarked for school education along with higher
education. The Digital Saksharata Abhiyan or National Digital Literacy mission (NDLM)
Scheme was structured to provide IT training to Anganwadi workers, ASHA workers
and authorized ration dealers in all the states and UTs of India. Villagers of
India get benefit from this national scheme Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharata
Abhiyan (PM G DISHA) scheme empowers the citizens of India specially rural area
of our country through training them to access to the Digital India measures
through operating digital devices.
The important focus is to reduce the digital divide
specially marginalized sections. The other digital measures like shiksha vani, knowledge
management system (LMS), Online labs (OL ABS), National knowledge Network (NKN)
SMS-Based mid-day meal Monitoring scheme, management and Information system
(PMIS), Swagamya Pusthakalaya are
serving the people especially in rural areas. UNISED INDIA is implementing
several digital measures specially in villages of India which involves Low Cost and No Cost e-
resources, Project Based learning, Solar energy Operated smart classes, ICT Integrated Education, Capacity
Building on Early Grade pedagogy and Virtual Learning and Unique internation under
Rashtiya Aviskar Abhiyan (RAA) Shala Darpan is an e- Government play form acting as
facilitator for all Kendriya Vidyalaya across the country involving rural India shala
siddhi is the National Program for school standards and Evaluation (NPSSE)
which acts as a comprehensive instruments for school evaluation paring the way
for school improvement. Central
government state government and UT government are supporting the schools along
with rural school in their self-appraisal and development. The NROER-National
Repository of open educational resources NRORR welcomes wide range of
educational resources in several subjects and in various Indian languages for
primary, secondary and higher secondary classes.
The ICT scheme under Samagra Shiksha connected
the endeavors of Computer Aided Learning (CAL) of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) with the ICT interventions of Rashtriya
Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) through assisting the for their creative sharing
and innovation digitalization for improving access, efficiency and quality in
being provided by Central, state and UT government. NISHTHA is a national teachers training
program having 42 lakh teachers scrolling out on DIKSHA by NCERT utilizing
online courses. During the COVID Pandemic, 15 states became ready to roll out
online teacher training programs on DIKSHA. Between April to June 2020 total
enrollments of teachers for courses were 6 million. Central governments
programs utilize DIKSHA for COVID-19 pandemic training of doctors, nurses, NCC,
NSS, NYKS volunteers and ASHA workers.
EMRS
Ekalavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) are fully
residential schools managed by central government to provide quality education
to scheduled Tribes (ST) students in remote areas these schools are run for ST
and PVTG (particularly vulnerable tribal groups) students. There are, as of
February 2026, 499 Ekalavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) across India.
These schools follow many particular support systems managed by NESTS. EMRS get
became famous as “islands of excellence” through gaining sign remarkable achievements
in national entrance exams, sports and cultural competitions across the nation.
Therefore, EMRSs are serving to develop education among tribal children with greater
success The initiations of Central government, state and UT governments are
developing digital skill among tribal people and students.
CONCLUSION: Digital India has transformed rural India
considerably. Now connectivity in villages has improved, innovation has been
promoted, the condition of skill development and education has improved, new
employment opportunities have opened up and entrepreneurship has also been
promoted. These changes are clearly visible in large infrastructure projects,
targeted skill development programmes and digital platforms, which are
empowering rural citizens and businesses.[1] The important is connected to the
infrastructure specially telecom/broadband infrastructure and power supply. The
smart phones which are able to receive government services art being used by
entire population. A large number of
citizens in rural India use feature phones that limit their ability to access
services electronically In rural India, still there are lower levels of
literacy rate in rural India is 67.67 percent while is urban area has 84
percent. Another problem is IT awareness and IT literacy among the literate .A
significant number of citizens have difficult to manage digital equipment and
internet that they access ICTs in a little manner. India is a country where
diversity, having many languages, play key role. Extremely limited numbers of
citizens know English which is the fundamental language for digital activities.
This situation resists people’s ability to follow the advantage of the digital process. Despite government is
training to make these digital systems available in Indian languages as well
but the process follows its own time became of the large number of languages in
India. Therefore, the main problem, the Digital Divide is still going on. The
connecting of various networks, interfaces/platforms among various states
became a bigger challenge in implementation of Digital India program. Interoperability of solutions, privacy,
security and numerous services interactions have been consistently confronted
by the agencies. Lack of highly skilled people, more population, different
languages and the distributed control of subject among the states and center
are major challenges in the process of digitalization.
Following
Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, PM Narendra Modi announced, in 2020, a special economic
and comprehensive package for self-reliant India. Education has been recognized
as important field with the main post-COVID concept of Technology -Driven
Education with Equity. The implementation of Digital India program needs huge
budget outlay that became an economic challenge. Despite all these hurdles, governments are striving
for provide the services of digital technology
so that today most of the rural people are applying online activities.
At this juncture, authorities recognized the role of educational technology and
providing the tribal students. Decentralization of digitalization is enabling
for this task.
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