NCERT books would have QR codes from next year: Javadekar
NCERT-published textbooks would have QR codes from next year (2019-20) to help students to understand chapters better by watching a film or reading additional content on laptops and digital boards, HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said. Also, the government has made a provision of Rs. 6,600cr for bearing the interest component on education loans, he said. The moratorium will be for the course-period plus one-year.
What is QR Code?
Quick Response (QR) Code is a machine-readable code consisting of an array of black and white squares, typically used for storing web-links or other information for reading by the camera on a smartphone.
Government will spend Rs. 2,200cr/year on the project
Nearly 10 lakh students would avail the benefits from 2017-18 to 2019-20, with the government bearing about Rs. 2,200cr/year towards interest costs on education loans, Javadekar said. Under the scheme, the government will bear the interest cost on education loan up to Rs. 7.50L for students from families with less than Rs. 4.5L income, the minister said briefing reporters about yesterday's Cabinet's decisions.
Government spent Rs. 800cr/year between 2009 to 2014
From 2009 to 2014, the government has spent Rs. 800cr/year under the scheme, which increased to Rs. 1,800cr/year from 2014 to 2017, he said. An estimated allocation of Rs. 75,000cr over the period has been approved which is a 20% increase over the current allocations.
Three existing schemes for improving education will merge
The Minister said that the government has also decided that three existing schemes for improving public education, the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan and the Teacher Education (TE) would be merged. Javadekar said that a committee has been formed to look into the issue of promoting digital board by replacing the blackboard to improve quality of education.
