Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday said ‘PM eVIDYA’ programme for multi-mode access to digital education will be launched immediately and that 100 universities will be permitted to start online courses by May 30.

‘PM eVIDYA’ programme will consist of ‘Diksha’ involving e-content and QR coded energized textbooks for all grades and will be called as ‘one nation, one digital platform’.

Besides this, one earmarked TV channel per class from 1 to 12, also named as ‘one class, one channel’, will also be rolled out.

It will also envisage extensive use of radio, community radio and podcasts and special e-content for visually and hearing impaired.

Sitharaman said under the ‘PM eVIDYA’ programme top 100 universities will be permitted to automatically start online courses by May 30, 2020.

During the nationwide lockdown, the government is ensuring that education of students does not suffer.

“Swayam Prabha DTH channels have reached those who do not have access to the internet and DIKSHA platform has had 61 crore hits from 24th March,” she said.

Besides this, Manodarpan, an initiative for psychosocial support of students, teachers and families for mental health and emotional wellbeing, will also be launched immediately.