On Tuesday, February 27, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launched the SWAYAM Plus portal, which would offer employability and professional development programs in collaboration with prominent industry players.
According to PTI, the platform will be run by IIT Madras and will collaborate with major industry firms such as Microsoft, Cisco, L&T, and others.
Mr. Pradhan said, “Working professionals to participate in the SWAYAM platform using it as a vehicle and take advantage of the multiple-entry-multiple-exit of NEP (National Education Policy) 2020. The platform will widen the scope of the classroom, adding 43 million students of higher education and working professionals.”
“Higher education is no longer limited to the traditional student. It is now accessible to the working population as well. The NEP 2020’s provision for multiple entry and exit points allows individuals to pursue education at their own pace,” he further added.
The SWAYAM Plus allows working professionals to balance their work and studies by providing a wide range of online courses.
“With SWAYAM Plus, we are empowering individuals to upskill and reskill, enhancing their career prospects and contributing to India’s knowledge economy,” he added.
Per PTI, SWAYAM, the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) platform offering educational opportunities to a large number of learners, was inaugurated by the Union Ministry of Education in 2017 and had amassed an enrollment of 72 lakh learners by the conclusion of 2023. In accordance with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the SWAYAM Plus platform will now provide courses that address industry needs and increase learners’ employability.
SWAYAM Plus, developed in collaboration with major companies such as L&T, Microsoft, CISCO, and others, includes unique features such as multilingual content, Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled advice, credit recognition, and pathways to employment.
Higher Education Secretary K Sanjay Murthy also urged for increased involvement from industry leaders and academic specialists from universities and other establishments to offer courses on distinct verticals that will be certified by IIT Madras.
Moreover, Murthy said, “There will be a multitude of institutional mechanisms, which will examine such types of proposals to ensure need-based and timely responses. The content will be available in 12 major Indian languages.”
