SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active–Learning for Young Aspiring Minds) is a programme initiated by Government of India and designed to achieve the three cardinal principles of Education Policy viz., access, equity and quality. The objective of this effort is to take the best teaching learning resources to all, including the most disadvantaged. SWAYAM seeks to bridge the digital divide for students who have hitherto remained untouched by the digital revolution and have not been able to join the mainstream of the knowledge economy. This is done through an indigenous developed IT platform that facilitates hosting of all the courses taught in classrooms to be accessed by anyone, anywhere at any time. All the courses are interactive, prepared by the best teachers in the country and are available, free of cost to the residents in India. SWAYAM platform is a Ministry of Education (MoE) initiative and was launched during 2017. What is offered in SWAYAM Courses that are taught in classrooms from 9th class till post-graduation. The courses hosted on SWAYAM is in 4 quadrants video lecture specially prepared reading material that can be downloaded/printed self-assessment tests through tests and quizzes and an online discussion forum for clearing the doubts. Categories of courses include - Engineering, Science, Humanities, Management, Language, Mathematics, Arts and Recreation, Commerce, General, Library, Education. Courses delivered through SWAYAM are available free of cost to the learners. Students wanting certifications need to register and shall be offered a certificate on successful completion of the course, with a little fee. At the end of each course, there will be an assessment of the student through proctored examination and the marks/grades secured in this exam could be transferred to the academic record of the students. UGC and AICTE have already issued the UGC (Credit Framework for online learning courses through SWAYAM) Regulation 2016 advising the Universities to identify courses where credits can be transferred on to the academic record of the students for courses done on SWAYAM. National Coordinators of SWAYAM In order to ensure best quality content are produced and delivered, seven National Coordinators have been appointed. They are as follows. AICTE for Annual Refresher Programme in Teaching for faculty of the Engineering/University/ Institutions NPTEL for engineering UGC for post-graduation education CEC for under-graduate education NCERT for school education NIOS for school education IGNOU for out of the school students and IIMB for management studies National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research (NITTTR) for teacher training programme How to access SWAYAM You can access the SWAYAM portal on the web - https://swayam.gov.in You can access the SWAYAM mobile apps for - Android and iOS. Source : SWAYAM portal SWAYAM Plus In alignment with National Education Policy 2020, the Ministry recognizes the need for SWAYAM to expand its existing offerings to identify and include courses aligned with industry needs and that enhance learners’ employability. To this extent, SWAYAM Plus will be launched in collaboration with leading industry players and ed‐tech companies to bring employability and professional development‐focused programs to its learners. SWAYAM Plus envisions to transform the professional development journeys of all learners by providing access to the best learning content and growth opportunities, so they can take charge of their futures. IIT Madras has been appointed by the Ministry of Education (MoE) as a nodal agency for implementing SWAYAM Plus . SWAYAM Plus will have programmes in chosen sectors, namely-Manufacturing, Energy, Computer Science & Engineering/IT/ITES, Management Studies, Teacher Education, Healthcare, Hospitality & Tourism, Social Science, Indian Knowledge Systems, Media, Communication, etc. SWAYAM Plus will primarily focus on achieving the following: Building an ecosystem for all stakeholders in professional and career development, including learners, course providers, industry, academia, and strategic partners. High‐quality learning and certification programs from the best industry and academia at affordable costs. Employment‐focused programs imparting future skills in chosen domains Reach a large learner base by catering to learning across the country, with a focus on reaching learners from tier 2 and 3 towns Flexible offerings based on learner needs – across chosen disciplines with options to learn through resources in vernacular languages. Access to Indian Knowledge Systems for learners across the globe. Source : SWAYAM Plus portal