Facing Digital Challenge: SWAYAM Struggles to Thrive

A parliamentary panel highlights that under 4% of students have completed SWAYAM courses since 2017 due to outdated content and inflexible teaching. The committee suggests enhancing engagement by facilitating placements and setting up a recruiter-student connecting platform, stressing on equity among students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

A parliamentary panel has revealed troubling statistics regarding SWAYAM, the digital education platform. Since 2017, less than four per cent of students enrolled have completed their courses. Major issues cited include outdated content, inflexible teaching methods, and poor infrastructure.

The committee, chaired by Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh, presented its findings to the Rajya Sabha, suggesting that improvements in engagement will only be seen if the Union education ministry assists in placements and creates a platform to connect recruiters with students.

This 'lukewarm' response has also been attributed to accessibility issues faced by marginalized communities. The panel further recommended the establishment of a dedicated cell to support students from underprivileged backgrounds, ensuring their participation and course completion.