DIKSHA is a national platform for school education launched on September 5th 2017
It is an initiative in the domain of digital learning by the National Council for Education Research and Training (NCERT) and the Ministry of Human Resource Development – MHRD
It was developed based on the core principles of open architecture, open access, open licensing diversity, choice and autonomy as outlined in the Strategy and Approach Paper for the National Teacher Platform.
National Teacher Platform has been branded as DIKSHA. The motto of DIKSHA is ‘our teachers are our heroes’.
Introduction of PAL into DIKSHA
The NeGD of MeitY plans to integrate Personalised Adaptive Learning (PAL) into the existing DIKSHA platform.
PAL is a software-based approach aimed at providing personalized learning experiences to students based on their unique needs and abilities.
DIKSHA, which falls under the Education Ministry, currently offers e-content for schools through an online portal and mobile application.
It also includes assistive technologies for learners with visual or hearing challenges. However, DIKSHA is primarily a static content repository.
DIKSHA hosts a significant amount of educational content, including digitized National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) textbooks and contributions from academics, such as teaching videos, explainers, and practice questions.
PAL's Functionality:
PAL relies on Artificial Intelligence (AI) to offer individualized learning experiences.
For instance, if a student makes a calculation mistake while learning a concept, the AI system detects the error and redirects the student to a basic video explaining the correct calculation.
The goal is to categorize and tag content to create learning loops.
When a student faces difficulty with a specific concept, the system can provide additional material to help them understand that concept.
Implementation Challenges:
Implementing PAL is a significant undertaking that involves categorizing and tagging content across subjects. It may also require the creation of new educational material.
The MeitY official mentioned that initially, PAL's focus would be on classes 9 to 12, particularly for subjects like chemistry, mathematics, and physics, which are often perceived as difficult.
State-Level Initiatives:
Some Indian states, like Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, have experimented with PAL through partnerships with private edtech companies.
However, budget constraints have posed challenges.
Assam implemented PAL in 200 schools but discontinued it due to lack of funds.
Haryana faced cost concerns regarding streaming content for PAL.
Future Plans:
The integration of PAL into DIKSHA aims to enhance digital learning, improve learning outcomes, and increase school retention, especially for students in Class 10.
MeitY is also considering the introduction of voice commands in DIKSHA 2.0 to facilitate AI-enabled learning, allowing students to access chapter summaries and other content through voice commands.
Developing PAL and rolling it out for use is a time-consuming process, expected to take three to four years.
NeGD will assess the market for edtech companies through an Expression of Interest (EOI) to assist in launching PAL and integrating it with DIKSHA 2.0.
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