Digital platforms could ease India’s education woes
The residents in many far-flung Indian states such as Assam struggle to complete their education due to geographical remoteness and lack of available textbooks, however many are now hoping the national government will utilise ICT solutions to solve this problem. Given the growing popularity of the "Digital India" initiative aimed at ensuring government services are made available to all citizens electronically, many feel this must include digital education.

At a time when the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) is growing across the globe, there is a dire need to make the use of ICT mandatory across all schools in Assam in order to keep the students and teachers updated with the latest developments in school education.Keeping in mind the remoteness of many schools in the state, especially those located in difficult terrains, it is essential to reach out to them through ICT. Curriculum updates can be sent to the schools much faster and teachers can be apprised of new methodologies in teaching.In Assam, a common complaint is that textbooks do not reach schools in far-flung areas or are not available for purchase on time. But if the government can develop a technique of uploading the contents of the textbooks online right before the academic session begins, the problem can be resolved. Moreover, this policy will enable the authorities to update the curriculum even in the middle of an academic session.As far as teachers are concerned, acquainting them with effective pedagogy and appropriate strategies of teaching is essential if we want to provide quality education to students.Besides, we need to have a separate portal for school education with details of every school in the state. This will help the government understand the needs of any school located in any district of the state instantly and facilitate better coordination between the government and school authorities. The details of the students and teachers should also be made available in the portal.Video conferencing is possible between the students from different areas. Experts can also advise students at times.As the Digital India campaign is gaining popularity in the country, the Assam government should take ahead the initiative for Digital Education.(The author is a mentor at Parijat Academy, Pamohi, Guwahati.)