Government plans to ‘coach’ 12.5 lakh aspirants for competitive exams – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Concerned over the dependence on private coaching, which often creates barriers for students from low-income backgrounds and creates an uneven field for aspirants from underserved regions, the Center has set an ambitious target to help 12.5 lakh competitive exam aspirants by 2029.
The Ministry of Education will discuss this important agenda with states from Tuesday during a two-day consultation on the implementation of the National Education Policy, 2020, where MoE officials will consult with their state/UT counterparts on issues such as accreditation and digital learning. among others.
According to ministry officials, the Center is preparing to discuss measures to “reduce dependence on private coaching and expand support for students’ preparation for competitive exams.” According to the agenda accessed by TOI, “SATHEE – reducing dependency on coaching” focuses on free digital resources for competitive exam preparation, AI-based learning toolscollaboration with IITs and AIIMS for high-quality content, resources on DTH platforms and efforts to democratize “access to competitive exam preparation”.
According to a government official, “through this program, the government hopes to create a level playing field by providing structured support, especially for people in disadvantaged regions.”
One of the main objectives of NE is to make it widespread accreditation of higher education institutions. By 2029, the government aims to achieve an accreditation rate of 90%, with the aim of positioning at least ten Indian higher education institutions among the top 200 in the world. The meeting agenda also includes strategies to expand digital learning, with the government targeting two major new enrollments over the next five years through SWAYAM courses.