The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education has recommended establishing a monitoring group of a diverse set of experts to conduct a comprehensive assessment of existing technological infrastructure in higher education institutions. The recommendation is a part of the Committee’s recently published report on the implementation of National Education Policy (NEP), 2020. In order to address issues related to “technological readiness” and access to digital infrastructure, the Committee observed that a monitoring group must: “…identify gaps in terms of hardware, software, internet connectivity, digital literacy among students and faculty and suggest solution to bridge any issue relating to Technological Gaps, Investment in Digital Infrastructure, faculty Training and Development, Learning Resources, Tech Integration etc.” Further, the report highlighted that such measures are pre-requisite to complying with requirements laid under NEP such as credit transfer to students, multi-disciplinary learning, online education facilities, ensuring inclusive education etc. Article continues below ⬇, you might also want to read: Only 24% Of Government Schools In India Have Internet Connection: Parliament Data Only 22% Of Indian Schools Had Access To Internet Last Year, Govt Data Shows Unified Digital System To Deliver Scholarships In Tamil Nadu: A Half-Baked Scheme For Inclusive Education? Govt’s Education Registry Project: Stakeholders Raise Key Issues, Make Recommendations Amid Feedback Constraints Why it matters: Though the Committee report does not offer greater scrutiny of the specific issues that arise with increasing reliance on tech-based solutions in the education sector, the recommendations on access-related concerns are worth highlighting. This is because the government is now…
