21-Dec-2022: Digital Literacy Mission
India over the last 7 years has become a prominent nation in deploying technologies for the benefit and transforming the lives of its citizens. Keeping this in view, the Government is focusing on providing digital literacy to citizens across the country, especially in rural areas. In line with this, the Government has taken various steps as under:
During the years 2014 to 2016, Government of India had implemented two Schemes on providing digital literacy to the masses namely “National Digital Literacy Mission (NDLM)” and “Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (DISHA)” with a cumulative target of 52.50 lakh persons (one person from every eligible household) across the country including rural India. Under these two schemes, a total of 53.67 lakh beneficiaries were trained, out of which around 42% candidates were from rural India. Both schemes has been closed now.
In the year 2017, Government has approved a Scheme titled ''Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA)'' to usher in digital literacy in rural India with a target to cover 6 crore rural households (one person per household) across the country. So far, a total of more than 6.62 crore candidates have been enrolled and 5.68 crore have been trained, out of which 4.22 crore candidates have been duly certified under the PMGDISHA Scheme across the country.
22-Jul-2022: Outreach of PMGDISHA
The Government has set one trillion dollars as the goal for digital economy. Over the next coming years, India will emerge as one of the largest digitally connected and digitally enabled countries in the world. To help achieve this and to enhance digital adoption, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is focusing on providing digital literacy to the citizens across the country especially in the rural areas. In line with this, the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) was approved by Union Cabinet in February 2017 with the approved budget outlay of Rs. 2351.38 crore, to usher in digital literacy in rural India with a target to cover 6 crore rural households (one person per household) across the country.
So far, a total of more than 6.15 crore candidates have been enrolled and 5.24 crore have been trained, out of which 3.89 crore candidates have been duly certified under the PMGDISHA Scheme.
The PMGDISHA scheme is being implemented through CSC e-Governance Services India Limited, a Special Purpose Vehicle (CSC-SPV), incorporated under the Companies Act 1956, under the overall supervision of MeitY, with the collaboration of the State Governments and UT Administrations. To ensure that the benefits of the program flow to the rural India, a centralized Project Management Unit (PMU) has been put in place by CSC-SPV to provide the requisite infrastructure backbone, logistics, co-ordination support among various agencies and monitoring mechanisms to oversee the implementation of the Scheme right up to the Gram Panchayat level.
Under the scheme, digital literacy training to the beneficiaries is imparted through the select Common Service Centres (CSCs)/Training Centres that are operational at the Gram Panchayat Level. As per the Scheme guidelines, such training centre should have minimum of 3-5 Computers (Laptop or PC) with genuine/licensed software and minimum of one teaching faculty. So far, more than 4.13 lakh such Centres are approved under the PMGDISHA scheme.
Certification of the trained beneficiaries is carried out through online remotely proctored examination conducted by nationally recognized Certifying Agencies namely National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT), National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), ICT Academy, Haryana Knowledge Corporation Limited (HKCL) and Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC).
The PMGDISHA Scheme is funded as a Central Sector Scheme, hence, funds are not sanctioned and allocated to States/UTs. The targets under the scheme are expected to be achieved within the approved duration of the scheme i.e. upto 31st March, 2023.
30-Mar-2022: Objective of PMGDISHA
Skill development and creating skilled talent is an important mission to ensure that the rapidly growing Digital Economy of India is provided with the trained and skilled manpower that is required. To further aid digital adaption, the Ministry has focused on digital literacy for citizens across the country especially in rural areas. In line with this, the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan(PMGDISHA) was approved by Union Cabinet in February 2017 to usher in digital literacy in rural India.
The main objective of the PMGDISHA Scheme is to impart digital literacy training by covering 6 crore rural households (one person per household), so that they are able to operate computers/digital access devices (like tablets, smartphones, etc.), send and receive emails, browse internet, access Government Services, search for information, undertake cashless transactions, etc. and hence use IT to actively participate in the process of nation building.
The Government has taken up several steps to connect the villagers of the country under the PMGDISHA Scheme, which include the following:-
- Scaling up the awareness and promotional activities towards Digital literacy through campaigns, workshops, seminars, digital vans, etc.
- In order to address the low internet connectivity issues, Wifi-choupals have been established at remote locations.
- Rural schools have been engaged for training and examination of candidates in order to penetrate the rural populous districts of identified states
- Hon’ble MPs/MLAs/District Collectors have distributed the PMGDISHA certificates at various events organised by the local PMGDISHA team.
- Some rural schools have been engaged for training and examination of candidates in order to cover the rural populous districts.
- Various mechanisms have been adopted to disseminate information regarding the scheme to the intended beneficiaries such as word of mouth publicity, online, print & electronic media including posters, banners, radio, newspaper, television, social media etc.
The PMGDISHA Scheme covers candidates in the age group of 14-60 years. So far, around 5.66 crore candidates have been enrolled and 4.81 crore candidates have completed the training out of which 3.54 crore candidates have been certified under the scheme.
8-Sep-2021: PMGDISHA and CSCs have emerged as the enablers for digital literacy, MoS IT Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar
Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Ministry of Electronics, Minister of State for Electronics & IT, graced today the ‘Launch Program of PMGDISHA Drive & Announcement of 100% Digital Literacy of all digital villages’ under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. Shri Ajay Prakash Sawhney, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology and senior officials from ministry also attended the virtual event.
The PMGDISHA drive has been launched under PMGDISHA scheme, a flagship Digital Literacy scheme of the Government for rural areas. Under the campaign, a three day certification drive for rural citizens especially women and disadvantaged communities will be conducted from September 8th to 10th. From September 11th to 13th September, a certification drive for PMGDISHA scheme will be conducted in a similar manner.
Apart from this Common Service Center (CSC) also proposed to make all the Digital Villages 100 percent Digital Literate.
Speaking at the event, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar, said that India is a unique country where we have used technology for digital inclusion and CSCs role in this is of paramount importance. PMGDISHA and CSCs have emerged as the enablers for digital literacy and they are important in realizing the vision outlined by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, to transform lives of common people and to bridge the gap between government and citizens through digital technology. He also stressed upon expanding the digital footprint of VLEs to create an enabling environment for digital inclusion.
The Government of India introduced its flagship Digital Literacy Programme, “Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA)” in February, 2017. The Scheme envisages to make six crore persons in rural areas, across States/UTs, digitally literate, reaching to around 40% of rural households by covering one member from every household where there is no digitally literate person.
6-Aug-2021: Digital Literacy Among Women
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India implements a scheme titled “Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA)” under Digital India programme to usher in digital literacy in rural India by covering 6 crore rural households (one person per household) by 31.03.2022. To ensure equitable geographical reach, each of the 2,50,000 Gram Panchayats across the country are envisaged to register an average of 200-300 candidates. The Scheme aims to bridge the digital divide, specifically targeting the rural population including the marginalised sections of society like Scheduled Castes (SC) / Scheduled Tribes (ST), Below Poverty Line (BPL), Women, differently-abled persons, and minorities.
Digitally literate persons are able to operate computers/ digital access devices (like tablets, smartphones, etc.), send and receive emails, browse the internet, access Government Services, search for information, undertake cashless transactions, etc. and hence use IT to actively participate in the process of nation-building.
As on 02.08.2021, approximately 5.01 crore beneficiaries have been enrolled and 4.21 crore have been trained under the PMGDISHA Scheme. So far, over 2.59 crore women beneficiaries are registered which is 52 % of the cumulative registration count. Out of the above, over 1.78 Crore women beneficiaries are certified under the scheme which is 54 % of the total certified beneficiaries under the PMGDISHA Scheme.
In addition, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education is administering ‘National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology’ (NMEICT) Scheme, SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds), SWAYAM PRABHA, National Digital Library (NDL), Virtual Lab, e-Yantra, NEAT (National Education Alliance for Technology) etc. to ensure quality education through e-learning to students across the country.
8-Feb-2017: Cabinet approves 'Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan’.
The Union Cabinet chaired has approved 'Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan' (PMGDISHA) to make 6 crore rural households digitally literate. The outlay for this project is Rs.2,351.38 crore to usher in digital literacy in rural India by March,.2019. This is in line with the announcement made by Finance Minister in the Union Budget 2016-17.
PMGDISHA is expected to be one of the largest digital literacy programmes in the world. Under the scheme, 25 lakh candidates will be trained in the FY 2016-17; 275 lakh in the FY 2017-18; and 300 lakh in the FY 2018-19. To ensure equitable geographical reach, each of the 250,000 Gram Panchayats would be expected to register an average of 200-300 candidates.
Digitally literate persons would be able to operate computers/digital access devices (like tablets, smart phones, etc.), send and receive emails, browse internet, access Government Services, search for information, undertaking cashless transactions, etc. and hence use IT to actively participate in the process of nation building.
The implementation of the Scheme would be carried out under the overall supervision of Ministry of Electronics and IT in active collaboration with States/UTs through their designated State Implementing Agencies, District e-Governance Society (DeGS), etc.
Background:
As per the 71st NSSO Survey on Education 2014, only 6% of rural households have a computer. This highlights that more than 15 crore rural households (@ 94% of 16.85 crore households) do not have computers and a significant number of these households are likely to be digitally illiterate. The PMGDISHA being initiated under Digital India Programme would cover 6 crore households in rural areas to make them digitally literate. This would empower the citizens by providing them access to information, knowledge and skills for operating computers / digital access devices.
As the thrust of the Government is on cashless transactions through mobile phones, the course content would also have emphasis on Digital Wallets, Mobile Banking, Unified Payments Interface (UPI), Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) and Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AEPS), etc.