Tawde launches MITRA 2.0

Tawde launches MITRA 2.0

Pune: State Education Minister Vinod Tawde on Monday launched MITRA 2.0 (Maharashtra In-service Teacher Resource App) at St Helena’s School. The app, which is now on the Central government’s DIKSHA, a digital platform for teachers across India, is an upgrade to the original MITRA app and web platform created and maintained by teachers in Maharashtra.

The MITRA app was developed and launched in April 2017 by SCERT Maharshtra and NGO Leadership For Equality (LFE). After its launch, over 1,29,000 teachers downloaded the app in the State. SCERT Maharashtra signed an MoU with the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) to adopt DIKSHA in September 2017. MITRA 2.0 will leverage DIKSHA’s digital infrastructure and continue to evolve through feedback from users.

Tawde said, “Through the medium of advanced technology, we have opened a new window for students to get as much extra knowledge as possible. Now, we aim to provide Internet connectivity to all schools in the State, all schools need to be connected with each other through wi-fi, and students all over the State should be aided in studies in every way possible.”

He said that considering technological glitches, he has also proposed starting up a website for the public to voice their queries about the platform and content. “Technology too needs to be re-confirmed. There might be mistakes in the content accessed with QR codes as well as Mitra app. There should be a site where people can suggest ways to make it better,” Tawde added.

He said that in the past couple of years, around 1,60,000 teachers in the State have been trained to be tech savvy, at least 66,000 government schools have been digitalised, and teachers have created around 10,000 apps and web platforms for e-learning. “Maharashtra is the only State in the country that has created e-content for students of Urdu medium,” Tawde said.

Earlier, on similar lines, Sunil Magar, Director, Balbharti and SCERT, said, “Through Mitra, e-content is now being created in many other states like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, etc. However, these states have created content only for a few mediums or classes. Maharashtra is the only state that has provided e-content for all subjects, in all mediums for the students of Class I to X through QR codes on the textbooks.”

Vandana Krushna, Principal Secretary, School Education and Sports Department, Jagdish Babu, representative of DIKSHA, Shakuntala Kale, Chairperson, Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, and Vishal Solanki, State Education Commissioner, were present on the occasion.

Enjoyed reading The Bridge Chronicle?
Your support motivates us to do better. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay updated with the latest stories.
You can also read on the go with our Android and iOS mobile app.

Related Stories

No stories found.
logo
The Bridge Chronicle
www.thebridgechronicle.com