(SYLLABUS RELEVANCE: GS 2/3: Social Issues and Science & Technology)

Why is it in the news?

1. The National eGovernance Division (NeGD) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is set to integrate Personalised Adaptive Learning (PAL) into its existing Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing (DIKSHA) platform.
2. PAL will provide an individualized learning experience for students based on their unique needs and abilities.
3. DIKSHA, managed by the Ministry of Education, offers e-content for schools through an online portal and mobile application, including assistive technologies for learners with impairments.

Current DIKSHA Features

1. DIKSHA features digitized National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) textbooks from national and State Boards.
2. It hosts 2.43 lakh contributions by 11,624 academicians in the form of teaching videos, explainers, and practice questions.

However, the content is currently scattered across the platform.

Integration of PAL

1. The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has sought MeitY’s expertise in facilitating PAL for DIKSHA.
2. PAL uses AI to provide personalized learning experiences. For example, if a student makes a mistake while learning a topic, the AI system offers support by redirecting them to relevant materials.
3. The initial focus of PAL integration will be on difficult subjects like Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics for Classes 9 to 12.

Experiments in States

1. Some Indian states have experimented with PAL through private edtech companies.
2. Andhra Pradesh, for example, has signed contracts with companies like Embibe, ConveGenius, and Mindspark for PAL implementation.
3. However, budget constraints have posed challenges in implementing and sustaining PAL programs in some states, such as Assam and Haryana.

Challenges and Costs

1. Building PAL involves categorizing and tagging content across subjects and potentially creating new content.
2. The estimated cost includes the core tech platform (approximately ₹2-3 crore), content development and tagging (around ₹20 crore), and recurring cloud-based server streaming costs, which can run into several hundred crores for a large number of students.

Future Developments

2. MeitY is also considering introducing voice commands in DIKSHA 2.0 for AI-enabled learning, allowing students to access chapter summaries through voice commands.
3. Developing PAL and implementing it nationwide is a time-consuming process, likely taking three to four years.

Market Assessment

The NeGD will float an Expression of Interest to assess the market for edtech companies that can help launch PAL and integrate it with DIKSHA 2.0.

Conclusion

The integration of PAL into the DIKSHA platform represents a significant step toward providing personalized and adaptive learning experiences for Indian students, with the goal of improving learning outcomes and school retention.