MHRD announces NEAT scheme for better learning outcomes in higher education

Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) on Thursday announced a new Public-Private Partnership (PPP) scheme- National Educational Alliance for Technology (NEAT) aimed at using technology for better learning outcomes in Higher Education.

"The objective is to use Artificial Intelligence to make learning more personalised and customised as per the requirements of the learner," an MHRD release said.

"This requires the development of technologies in adaptive learning to address the diversity of learners. There are a number of start-up companies developing this and MHRD would like to recognise such efforts and bring them under a common platform so that learners can access it easily," it added.

MHRD has proposed to create a National Alliance with such technology developing EdTech Companies through a PPP model.

MHRD would act as a facilitator to ensure that the solutions are freely available to a large number of economically backward students. MHRD would create and maintain a National NEAT platform that would provide one-stop access to these technological solutions.

"EdTech companies would be responsible for developing solutions and manage the registration of learners through the NEAT portal. They would be free to charge fees as per their policy," the MHRD release informed.

"As their contribution towards the National cause, they would have to offer free coupons to the extent of 25 per cent of the total registrations for their solution through the NEAT portal. MHRD would distribute the free coupons for learning to the most socially or economically backward students," it added.

All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) would be the implementing agency for the NEAT program. The scheme shall be administered under the guidance of an Apex Committee constituted by MHRD.

MHRD proposes to launch and operationalise NEAT in early November 2019.