Lectures can be accessed free on a free channel via direct-to-home
The government is set to take coaching material and lectures for preparation for admission to the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) straight to the aspirants’ doorstep as part of an initiative called IIT Pal.
The ambitious scheme is likely to roll out by October, and is aimed at offering a fair chance to students who cannot afford coaching to crack the IITs. Once rolled out, the initiative will run round the year and is likely to benefit students who appear for the examination to be held in 2017.
The lectures and the coaching material will be available free of cost to aspirants, with lectures being accessible on a free channel via direct-to-home (DTH) television and the use of massive open online courses (MOOCs) providing study material on internet without charge.
“Our aim is to provide high-quality instruction at no cost using MOOCs and DTH. We will directly take knowledge to the doorstep of the student preparing for the IITs. The material will be prepared by the best possible resource persons,” a senior official at the Ministry of Human Resource Development toldThe Hindu.
The reading material will not just comprise subject-wise compendiums of study material but also have exercises and mock tests.
One challenge before the Ministry is to roll out the initiative in as many Indian languages as possible, though this would require multi-lingual lectures and creation of study material in many languages.
‘Working out modalities’
“We are working out the modalities for that and are aware that many students who do not take coaching for IITs have had Indian languages as their medium of instruction,” the official said.
The mushrooming of coaching institutes has become a matter of concern. Coaching is seen as necessary for clearing the examination, which is known for its tough competition.
The government is of the view that this makes it difficult for students not undertaking coaching to have a fair chance and such aspirants spread across India need a helping hand.
Keywords: IIT coaching, massive open online courses, IIT Pal
