NCERT Launches Digital Inclusive Learning Initiatives

NCERT Launches Digital Inclusive Learning Initiatives: Transforming Education with NEP 2020 Reforms

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) celebrated its 65th Foundation Day in 2025 by unveiling a wide range of transformative initiatives. These efforts are closely aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, with a focus on digital learning, early childhood education, and inclusive education. Together, these steps are set to strengthen India’s educational landscape, ensuring access, equity, and quality.

Bal Vatika DTH Channel

To expand access to early childhood education, NCERT launched Bal Vatika, a dedicated DTH TV channel (PM eVidya Channel No. 35). Designed for children aged 3 to 6 years, it offers interactive and engaging audio-visual content to improve foundational literacy and numeracy.

The channel also supports teachers, Anganwadi workers, and parents, helping them deliver quality pre-primary education. This initiative directly advances NEP 2020’s vision of strong foundational learning for all children.

DIKSHA 2.0

The upgraded DIKSHA 2.0 platform introduces advanced artificial intelligence (AI) features to personalise learning. Its tools include:

• Read Aloud functionality for accessibility
• Closed Captioning for inclusive learning
• Multilingual text translation in 12 Indian languages
• Adaptive assessments with personalised feedback

By enhancing accessibility and supporting diverse learners, DIKSHA 2.0 empowers both students and educators with smarter digital resources.

Inclusive Education Tools and Resources

NCERT’s initiatives also prioritise inclusivity:

• PRASHAST 2.0: An advanced disability screening tool for early identification of children with special needs. Integrated with UDISE+, APAAR, and Swavlamban Card, it ensures timely support for divyang learners.
• Kitab Ek Padhe Anek: Accessible textbooks for Classes 1 and 2, designed under the Universal Design of Learning (UDL) framework to cater to diverse learning needs.

These resources reflect NCERT’s commitment to inclusive and equitable education.

Additional Educational Innovations

Alongside its flagship initiatives, NCERT introduced several complementary innovations:

• Virtual Reality (VR) labs in demonstration schools to promote immersive, experiential learning.
• PM eVidya mobile app as a centralised hub for multi-format digital educational content.
• New primers in Hindi, Sanskrit, Ho-Hindi, and Koya to support linguistic diversity.
• A commemorative book Utkal Jananinkara Sujogya Santana highlighting 100 notable personalities from Odisha.
• A vocational education handbook from PSSCIVE to strengthen skill-based learning under NEP 2020.

Alignment with NEP 2020

These initiatives reinforce NCERT’s role as a key driver of educational reform in India. By focusing on digital transformation, inclusivity, and curriculum reform, NCERT is shaping the future of Indian education in line with NEP 2020.

Its ongoing work on the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE 2023) and the Foundational Stage Framework (NCF-FS 2022) ensures that India’s education system remains responsive to 21st-century learning needs.