<p>Online schooling, which has taken off in a big way during the Covid-19 pandemic, can help reduce inequalities in educational outcomes if it is well-utilised, the Pre-Budget Economic Survey said on Friday.</p>.<p>Quoting the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2020 Wave-1 (Rural), the Survey pointed out that the percentage of enrolled children from government and private schools owning a smartphone increased from 36.5 per cent in 2018 to 61.8 per cent in 2020 in rural India.</p>.<p>"...if utilised well, the resultant reduction in the digital divide between rural and urban, gender, age and income groups is likely to reduce inequalities in educational outcomes," it added.</p>.<p>The Economic Survey 2020-21 was presented by Finance Minster Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament earlier in the day.</p>.<p>It noted that the government is implementing several initiatives to make education accessible to children and facilitate learning during the Covid-19 pandemic.</p>.<p>One of the initiatives is PM eVIDYA that aims to enable multi-mode and equitable access to education for students and teachers.</p>.<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/business/economy-business/coronavirus-impact-public-spending-on-social-sector-increased-in-2020-21-says-economic-survey-944821.html" target="_blank">Coronavirus Impact: Public spending on social sector increased in 2020-21, says Economic Survey</a></strong></p>.<p>Around 92 courses have started and 1.5 crore students are enrolled under Swayam MOOCs which are online courses relating to NIOS, it added.</p>.<p>To mitigate the effect of Covid-19, Rs 818.17 crore is allotted to states/union territories to promote online learning through digital initiatives and Rs 267.86 crore for online teacher training under Samagra Shiksha Scheme.</p>.<p>PRAGYATA guidelines on digital education have been developed with a focus on online/blended/digital education for students who are presently at home due to closure of schools, while the 'Manodarpan' initiative for psychological support has been included in Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.</p>.<p>The Economic Survey 2020-21 observed that India will have the highest population of young people in the world over the next decade and that the ability to provide high-quality educational opportunities to them will determine the future of the country.</p>.<p>The Survey stated that India has attained a literacy level of almost 96 per cent at the elementary school level. Citing data from the National Sample Survey (NSS), the literacy rate of persons of age 7 years and above at the All India level stood at 77.7 per cent.</p>.<p>Female literacy remained below national average among social groups of SC, ST, OBC, including religious groups of Hinduism and Islam, it added.</p>.<p>To provide quality education in schools and institutions of the government in affordable and competitive manner, the government had announced the new National Education Policy, 2020 replacing the 34-year old National Policy on Education, 1986. </p>
<p>Online schooling, which has taken off in a big way during the Covid-19 pandemic, can help reduce inequalities in educational outcomes if it is well-utilised, the Pre-Budget Economic Survey said on Friday.</p>.<p>Quoting the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2020 Wave-1 (Rural), the Survey pointed out that the percentage of enrolled children from government and private schools owning a smartphone increased from 36.5 per cent in 2018 to 61.8 per cent in 2020 in rural India.</p>.<p>"...if utilised well, the resultant reduction in the digital divide between rural and urban, gender, age and income groups is likely to reduce inequalities in educational outcomes," it added.</p>.<p>The Economic Survey 2020-21 was presented by Finance Minster Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament earlier in the day.</p>.<p>It noted that the government is implementing several initiatives to make education accessible to children and facilitate learning during the Covid-19 pandemic.</p>.<p>One of the initiatives is PM eVIDYA that aims to enable multi-mode and equitable access to education for students and teachers.</p>.<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/business/economy-business/coronavirus-impact-public-spending-on-social-sector-increased-in-2020-21-says-economic-survey-944821.html" target="_blank">Coronavirus Impact: Public spending on social sector increased in 2020-21, says Economic Survey</a></strong></p>.<p>Around 92 courses have started and 1.5 crore students are enrolled under Swayam MOOCs which are online courses relating to NIOS, it added.</p>.<p>To mitigate the effect of Covid-19, Rs 818.17 crore is allotted to states/union territories to promote online learning through digital initiatives and Rs 267.86 crore for online teacher training under Samagra Shiksha Scheme.</p>.<p>PRAGYATA guidelines on digital education have been developed with a focus on online/blended/digital education for students who are presently at home due to closure of schools, while the 'Manodarpan' initiative for psychological support has been included in Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.</p>.<p>The Economic Survey 2020-21 observed that India will have the highest population of young people in the world over the next decade and that the ability to provide high-quality educational opportunities to them will determine the future of the country.</p>.<p>The Survey stated that India has attained a literacy level of almost 96 per cent at the elementary school level. Citing data from the National Sample Survey (NSS), the literacy rate of persons of age 7 years and above at the All India level stood at 77.7 per cent.</p>.<p>Female literacy remained below national average among social groups of SC, ST, OBC, including religious groups of Hinduism and Islam, it added.</p>.<p>To provide quality education in schools and institutions of the government in affordable and competitive manner, the government had announced the new National Education Policy, 2020 replacing the 34-year old National Policy on Education, 1986. </p>