Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan

Overview

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 Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) being initiated under Digital India Programme would cover 6 crore households in rural areas to make them digitally literate.

Earlier, the Government had implemented the National Digital Literacy Mission or the Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (DISHA) to impart IT training to 52.5 lakh persons, including Anganwadi and ASHA workers and authorised ration dealers in all the States/UTs across the country so that the non-IT literate citizens are trained to become IT literate so as to enable them to actively and effectively participate in the democratic and developmental process and also enhance their livelihood.

Expected outcome

Digital Literacy is the ability of individuals and communities to understand and use digital technologies for meaningful actions within life situations. 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.

PMGDISHA is one of the largest digital literacy programmes in the world. Under the scheme, the targets include - 25 lakh candidates to be trained in the FY 2016-17; 275 lakh in 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. 

By December 2022, 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.

Implementation process

Eligibility

• The Scheme is applicable only for rural areas of the country.
• Eligible Household: A household is defined as a unit comprising of Head of family, spouse, children and parents. All such households where none of the family member is digitally literate will be considered as eligible household under the Scheme.
• Entry criteria
• The beneficiary should be Digitally Illiterate
• Only one person per eligible household would be considered for training
• Age Group: 14 - 60 years
• Priority would be given to
• Non-smartphone users, Antyodaya households, college drop-outs, Participants of the adult literacy mission
• Digitally illiterate school students from class 9th to 12th, provided facility of Computer/ICT Training is not available in their schools
• Preference would be given to SC, ST, BPL, women, differently-abled persons and minorities
• The identification of the beneficiaries would be carried out by CSC-SPV in active collaboration with DeGS, Gram Panchayats, and Block Development Officers. The list of such beneficiaries would be made available on the scheme portal.

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.

Training process

The duration of the training program is for 20 hours which has to be completed in a minimum of 10 days and maximum of 30 days.

Learning Outcomes / Competency Standards

• Understand the basics (terminology, navigation and functionality) of digital devices.
• Use digital devices for accessing, creating, managing and sharing information
• Use the Internet to browse in an effective and responsible manner
• Use technology to communicate effectively
• Appreciate the role of digital technology in everyday life, in social life and at work
• Carry out cashless transactions using digital financial tools (USSD/ UPI/ eWallet/ AEPS/ Card/ PoS)
• Use Digital Locker Use online citizen centric services

Training Partners

The Scheme envisages affiliating entities like NGOs/ Institutions/ Corporates, desirous of providing digital literacy training, as Training Partners with CSC-SPV subject to meeting prescribed norms. Indicative norms are as follows:-

• A training partner must be an organization registered in India, conducting business in the domain of education/ IT literacy for more than three years and having Permanent Income Tax Account Number (PAN) and audited statements of accounts for at least last three years.
• The institution/organization should be registered under any act of law in India, e.g., in the case of a company it must be registered with the Registrar of Companies, in case of Society, it must be registered with the Registrar of Societies and so on and so forth.
• The partner must have clearly defined objectives, well-documented processes and procedures covering the entire range of education/ IT literacy training.

Role of a Training Partner

• A training partner shall be responsible to have or appoint the Training Centers in the identified Districts/ Blocks/ Gram Panchayats that would impart digital literacy training to the beneficiaries.
• A training partner shall be responsible for ensuring that the training centers adhere to the PMGDISHA requirements.
• A training partner shall be accountable for monitoring the overall working of the centers that fall under its purview.
• A training partner shall be liable for accurate and timely reporting of the aforementioned work ascribed to the centers.

Source : PMGDISHA

Related Resources

1. FAQs on Training in PMGDISHA