Author: Dr. Savita Mishra
DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.70798/Bijmrd/04041038
Abstract: India’s drive toward a Viksit Bharat (developed India) places education at the centre of national development. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and subsequent digital initiatives have foregrounded technology as a lever to expand access, improve quality, and enable lifelong learning. DIKSHA (Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing), SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active-Learning for Young Aspiring Minds), and PM e-VIDYA (a multi-mode digital education initiative) are three flagship efforts that together form the backbone of India’s public digital education ecosystem. This chapter examines the architecture, scope, achievements, and constraints of these platforms and situates them within the broader policy architecture, including the National Digital Education Architecture (NDEAR). It analyses how these platforms contribute to democratizing access, teacher professional development, and highereducation MOOCs, while diagnosing persistent drivers of the digital divide — infrastructure deficits, device and data affordability, digital literacy, language and accessibility barriers, and gaps in pedagogical integration. Drawing on national policy documents, platform design principles, and contemporary analyses, the chapter proposes a strategic agenda: offline-first content strategies, enhanced public access networks, sustained teacher mentoring, incentivised localisation and accessibility, streamlined credit-recognition pathways, and strengthened data governance. An implementation roadmap and monitoring framework are presented for scaling impact equitably. The chapter concludes that DIKSHA, SWAYAM, and PM e-VIDYA embody the promise of digital public goods for education; however, realizing their potential for Viksit Bharat requires a shift from counting access to measuring equitable learning outcomes.
Keywords: Digital Education, Digital Divide, Teacher Professional Development, MOOCs, Digital Public Goods, Education Policy.
Page No: 202-208