HRD gifts 32 channels to students, announces ‘guru dakshina’ for Prez

NEW DELHI: Students across the country will now be able to access high-quality educational programmes as the HRD ministry launched 32 DTH channels on Sunday, along with a number of other digital initiatives in the field of education.

At the inauguration of three digital initiatives— Swayam, Swayam Prabha and National Academic Depository — human resource development (HRD) minister Prakash Javadekar said convocation addresses delivered by President Pranab Mukherjee will be compiled and published as ‘guru dakshina’ to him.

Felicitating Mukherjee — who was a teacher before he plunged into politics in 1969 — on the occasion of Guru Purnima, Javadekar said his life was an “exemplary” record of calibre, capacity and conduct, adding that Mukherjee represented all teachers in India.

“Since I called him a teacher, there will be ‘guru dakshina’ as well. We will publish compilation of his convocation addresses to various universities so that students can enlighten themselves from his valuable observations,” he said. Talking about the initiatives, he said Swayam aims at taking the best teaching-learning resources to all. Under Swayam Prabha, the government plans to telecast high-quality educational programmes through 32 DTH channels, whereas National Academic Depository will facilitate online verification of certificates.

The government has also decided to adopt a 17-point action plan for this year, including building digital campuses. The plan covers measures such as universal adoption of digital education and digital financial transactions in campuses from the current academic year. Javadekar added that the government would come up with integrated B.Ed courses so that students can decide on becoming teachers after Class 12. They can take such integrated courses with graduation in a subject of their choice.