Entrepreneurship to be the focus of new HRD channel
The move comes as the Centre is increasingly looking towards the DTH and radio modes to meet educational requirements for students and to overcome the digital divide as the Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted the academic year.
The Union Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) plan to launch a niche direct to home (DTH), or digital TV channel, focussed on honing entrepreneurial skills of younger people and to keep them abreast with the latest innovations, officials aware of the matter said.
The move comes as the Centre is increasingly looking towards the DTH and radio modes to meet educational requirements for students and to overcome the digital divide as the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown imposed to check its spread in late March have disrupted the academic year.
HT on May 8 reported HRD ministry is planning to start 12 DTH television channels each catering to students from Classes 1 to 12. The channels will serve as virtual classrooms when schools are shut due to the Covid-19 outbreak and amid concerns that online learning might leave behind those with slow or limited internet connectivity.
According to details accessed by HT, AICTE, the technical education regulator, has formed a nine-member advisory panel of journalists, entrepreneurs, and educationists to develop the concept for its channel.
A Surya Prakash, the former head of public broadcasting agency Prasar Bharati, will head the panel. The panel will also include AICTE chief Anil Sahasrabuddhe as co-chairman, Prasar Bharati CEO Shashi Shekhar Vempati, education portal upGrad chairman Ronnie Screwvala, Times Now editor-in-chief Rahul Shivshankar, Rakesh Khar, (Network18 Group) and Alok Agarwal, managing partner, The Growth Labs, Alok Nath Jha (DD Kisan), and Abhay Jere (HRD ministry).
Prakash said innovation is critical for the advancement of any nation and all nations are driven by innovation. “I congratulate HRD [ministry] and AICTE for thinking of a niche channel devoted to innovation. Our society is brimming with ideas and this endeavour will give a fillip to entrepreneurship, ideas, and innovation in the country,” he said.
An AICTE official said the panel is expected to begin its work from the next week. “HRD [ministry]’s Innovation Cell and AICTE have come together for the purpose of creating the platform. The idea is to bring a channel that can serve as a platform for the entire country’s young population. It will highlight the latest innovations and research happening in the country and globally and also showcase the work done by young entrepreneurs,” said the official on condition of anonymity.
INDEPENDENT COMMENT
Get Current Updates on India News, Election 2024, Arvind Kejriwal Arrest Live Updates, Bihar Board 12th Result Live along with Latest News and Top Headlines from India and around the world.