Remote learning: UP sets target, tells each govt teacher to convince 10 students to download Diksha app

Strap: So far, just 11% of total students of primary & upper primary schools have the app
Meerut: The onus to ensure that all students of primary and upper primary schools in UP have downloaded the Diksha app lies on teachers, the state’s education department has said. Setting a target for them, the department said that every teacher will now download the app on the mobile phones of 10 students.
The app, launched by NCERT in 2017, has lessons in videos and text.In the time of lockdown, when schools were shut, remote learning through the app was the only way out for students across the country. But the pandemic exposed the digital divide. While the students of private schools-- mostly from well-off families -- didn’t miss out on classes and on learning, those in government schools struggled to catch up. Poor internet connectivity and unavailability of smartphones in the family were some of the reasons.
TOI reported last week that just 11% of all government school students have downloaded the app so far.
The government has now set an ambitious target of December 15 to bring all the students on board.
“During an inspection, it was found that the Diksha app is being used by only 30 to 40 lakh students against a total of 3.80crore-- including 1.80crore government school students and 2crore private school students,” read an order issued by Vijay Kiran Anand, managing director, school education, UP.
Anand further said, “A target of 10 downloads of the app per teacher is being given now. The target has to be completed by December 15 and will be monitored by the state government.” He further said that the number of downloads done by each teacher should be sent to the state authorities via email.
Most private schools are holding online classes on MS Teams, Zoom and other apps so the students didn't download the Diksha app, a teacher at a private school said. But most government schools don't have the luxury to hold online classes and are dependent on the Deksha app.