Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds (SWAYAM)
It was launched in 2018 with the objective of ensuring every student in the country access to the best quality higher education at affordable cost.
It is a web platform which consists of courses taught from class 9th to post-graduation. The courses would include–
Video lecture
Specially prepared reading material that can be downloaded/printed
Self-assessment through tests and quizzes and
An online discussion forum for clearing the doubts.
Courses in SWAYAM portal are free of cost and a certificate is awarded with miniscule fee after completion of a course.
Challenges
Government is yet to work out a policy for recognition of the online examination and other modes of evaluation.
It is not yet clear whether it would be possible for a student to earn credits from MOOCs (massive open online courses) and combining credits from different institutions to get a degree if prerequisites of the degree programme are fulfilled (Meta University concept).
Access to Internet is still limited in rural areas in India, so the SWAYAM courses may have restrictive reach.
Preparing the faculty for MOOCs delivery is going to be a major challenge requiring massive capacity building programmes.
SWAYAM has a great potential to revolutionize the educational processes and extending the reach to remote corners of the country. With tactful handling of the issues and challenges envisaged in the SWAYAM initiative, it will go a long way in ensuring education for all.
