No child deprived of online education during pandemic: Union Education Minister

No child was deprived of online education during the pandemic as the government had taken several steps in that direction, Union minister Prakash Javadekar said on Monday in the Lok Sabha. Replying to queries during the Question Hour, he said that in providing online eduction, India has surpassed many countries. Right from age 5 to university education, practically everything became online, he said. Under-privileged children were provided access to mohalla schools, he said adding now there are 34 educational channels -- 22 for higher education and 12 for school education.

"So in India, despite the pandemic, nobody was deprived of education and online education," he said. When asked whether the government is going to re-start schools anytime soon, the minister said many states have taken initiative and started schools. "The education reached everywhere, practically there is no gap now," he said, adding people who did not have even access to TV, they were provided access to mohalla schools.

On the outlay for digital education in the Budget, he said it was an evolving budget, "therefore no fixed amount was given." But over Rs 600 crore have been incurred as expenditure on digital education from the government's side, he said. "I can assure that there will no dearth of money for this initiative of Modi- government. " he added.