Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi on August 19 held a meeting with senior officials of the Department of Higher Education to review the implementation of the Centre’s proposed initiative to provide free online coaching for competitive examinations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the initiative during his Independence Day address on August 15, with the aim of reducing the financial burden on middle-class families and making quality exam preparation more accessible to students.
According to Joshi, discussions during the meeting centred on developing a robust national platform that can bring together high-quality learning resources, expert guidance and structured preparation for aspirants across the country.
Sharing details of the meeting on X, the education minister said the platform is intended to make quality learning content and expert support available to young people preparing for competitive examinations, irrespective of their financial background or location.
PM Modi had announced that the proposed online coaching programme would feature classes by top teachers and help students access quality preparation without having to bear the cost of expensive coaching programmes. The initiative is expected to benefit aspirants preparing for various competitive examinations.
The latest meeting comes amid several measures being undertaken to strengthen the country’s examination system. Joshi had recently met officials of the National Testing Agency (NTA) and reviewed steps to improve the security and infrastructure involved in conducting major examinations, including NEET and UGC-NET.
Following the review, NTA Director General Abhishek Singh (IAS) announced several changes as part of the agency’s overhaul. These included the removal of around 600 experts from its operations and the introduction of a four-tier system for checking question papers. The agency is also working on shifting its offices to new premises on a “war footing”, with Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel likely to be deployed for enhanced security.
The free coaching initiative is among several announcements made by the prime minister on August 15. PM Modi also announced a plan to provide skill training in Artificial Intelligence (AI) to one crore young people, highlighting the government’s focus on preparing the workforce for emerging technologies.
In addition, the prime minister announced a nationwide talent hunt across villages, cities and schools to identify promising children between five and 15 years of age. Selected youngsters will receive specialised training to help them develop careers in sports.
India will also host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, according to the announcement made during the Independence Day address. Together, these initiatives underline the government’s broader focus on education, skills, youth development and opportunities for students across the country.
