In an academic year hit by the pandemic COVID- 19, the Union HRD ministry along with higher education regulator All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) is planning to soon bring out a niche DTH channel that would focus on honing the entrepreneurial skills of youth while keeping them abreast with the latest innovations.
And to develop the concept for this platform, the AICTE has formed a high-profile nine-member panel headed by former Prasar Bharati chief A Surya Prakash. The panel includes several leading media persons, entrepreneurs and educationists.
The move comes at a time when the Centre is increasingly looking towards the DTH and radio modes to meet education challenges including overcoming the digital divide.
According to details accessed by HT, the AICTE has formed the advisory committee which includes AICTE chief Anil Sahasrabuddhe as co-chairman, Prasar Bharati CEO Shashi Shekhar Vempati, education portal Upgrad chairman Ronnie Screwvala, Times Now Editor in Chief Rahul Shivshankar, Rakesh Khar, Editor with the Network 18 group and Alok Agarwal, Managing Partner of The Growth Labs.
Among others, Alok Nath Jha, a consultant with DD’s Kisan channel is another panel member while Abhay Jere, HRD ministry’s Chief Innovation Officer is the convenor of this high profile group.
“Innovation is critrical for the advancement of any nation and all nations are driven by innovation. I congratulate the HRD and AICTE for thinking of a niche channel devoted to innovation. Our society is brimming with ideas and this endeavour will give a fillip to entrepreneurship, ideas and innovation in the country,” said Surya Prakash, when contacted.
According to a senior AICTE official, the panel is expected to begin its week from next week itself.
“HRD’s Innovation Cell and AICTE have come together for the purpose of creating a platform. The idea is to bring a channel that can serve as a platform to the entire country’s young population. Not will it highlight the latest innovation and research happening in the country and globe, it will also showcase the work done by done by young entrepreneurs,” said the official.
Significantly, the move comes at a time when the HRD ministry is already working to bring 12 DTH channels for school children under its ‘one class one channel’ plan.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had also mentioned the one class one channel plan in her COVID-19 relief package.
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