Central govt. has launched Operation Digital Board (ODB) which is a revolutionary step to leverage technology in order to boost quality education in the country. ODB is going to make the learning and teaching process interactive and popularize flipped learning as pedagogical approach. ODB would be implemented from class 9th onward as well as in higher educational institutions.
HRD Ministry said that he digital board is going to be introduced across the entire country in all govt. and govt. aided schools. Such technology enabled learning can inspire teachers across the entire country to raise their own teaching standards.
The process of implementation of Operation Digital Board will begin in the upcoming session of 2019 itself.
Operation Digital Board (ODB) by HRD Ministry
The central govt. has launched Operation Digital Board to convert ordinary class room into digital class rooms. ODB will also ensure availability of e-resources at any time and at any place to students. ODB scheme would also help in provisioning of personalized adaptive learning and intelligent tutoring by exploiting emerging technologies. This includes machine learning, artificial intelligence and data analytics. An expert committee has worked out optimum configuration of Digital class rooms under ODB.
The biggest challenge faced by the education sector in the country is to maintain acceptable quality standards across the country. Although the country already has good number of premium institutions which are comparable to best in the world but still a large number of higher educational institutions and schools needs improvements. The condition of quality teaching & learning is to improved as the students passing out through these institutions find themselves unsuitable for the requirements of society and market.
So, the spread of educational technology and connectivity is being provided with an opportunity to resolve this issue and aims to provide equity in educational standards. The launch of e-Pathshala, DIKSHA, NROER, NPTEL, e-pgpathshala SWAYAM and SWAYAM-Prabha DTH Channels etc. by MHRD has provided adequate high quality content which could be taken to every classroom.
Operation Digital Board will facilitate blended learning and flip class learning. All these pedagogical interventions would be successful in raising the teaching standards, which is independent of the locations of schools and colleges / institutes.
Implementation of ODB in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)
University Grants Council (UGC) would be the implementing agency for Operation Digital Board (ODB) in higher educational institutions. UGC Commission has passed a resolution on 29 Jan 2019 to extend digital education to every classroom in the country by FY 2022. As per an estimate, there would be around 5 lakh classrooms in the Central / State govt. institutions.
Out of these classrooms, UGC has proposed to take up 300 universities and around 10,000 colleges in the 1st phase to cover 2 lakh classrooms. All such institutions which are having readiness to implement ODB would be given preference. For this purpose, UGC will soon launch a portal for all public funded HEIs to login and opt for the scheme by providing details of this facility. For 2 lakh classrooms, the approximate cost is Rs. 2000 crore. ODB could be implemented as a central scheme as a loan from HEFA.
Implementation of Operation Digital Board in Schools
Digital or SMART boards would be given to all govt. and govt. aided schools which have Secondary and Senior Secondary classes. Around 1.5 lakh secondary and Sr. secondary schools would be covered under Operation Digital Board Scheme in collaboration with the state and the union territories.