New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced free online coaching for aspirants preparing for competitive examinations, saying the initiative would help reduce the financial burden on poor and middle-class families.
Addressing the nation from the Red Fort on India’s 80th Independence Day, Modi said coaching classes had become a financial burden for many families and that the government would provide free online coaching for various examinations.
Free coaching to ease family burden
Modi said many parents feel pressured to send their children to coaching classes because they associate private coaching with social status.
He said families could save thousands of crores of rupees spent on coaching if quality preparation was made available online.
The Prime Minister also urged families to use the opportunity to remain closer to their children while supporting their education and preparation.
Digital resources to support aspirants
Modi said the country already has digital public infrastructure as well as talented teachers and educational resources.
The government plans to bring these resources together to create a network offering free online coaching to young people preparing for competitive examinations.
The announcement is aimed at making examination preparation more accessible to students who may otherwise struggle to afford expensive coaching programmes.
The government has previously identified online coaching for competitive examinations as one of the pillars of PM e-VIDYA, alongside platforms and initiatives supporting digital education.
Focus on equal access to opportunities
The announcement places greater emphasis on using digital infrastructure to widen access to educational resources and competitive examination preparation.
For students and families facing financial constraints, free online coaching could provide an alternative to costly classroom-based coaching, subject to the rollout and details of the proposed network.