The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has launched the second edition of NEAT today. The National Education Alliance for Technology 2.0 (NEAT 2.0) is aimed at bringing together public and private initiatives in education technology and online learning to a common platform. The first version of NEAT was announced in 2019. The Union Minister of Education Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank' also attended the launch of NEAT 2.0 today, February 16.
Along with the Minister of Education, Professor Anil D Sahasrabudhe Chairman of AICTE; Professor MP Poonia, Vice Chairman of AICTE; Professor Rajive Kumar, Member Secretary, AICTE; and Buddha Chandrasekhar, CCO, NEAT, AICTE were present at the launch of NEAT 2.0.
As part of the NEAT 2.0 launch, as many as 48 companies have signed an agreement with AICTE. The technical education regulator, AICTE, will act as a facilitator and ensure that the services of these 48 companies are available free or at a lower price to the economically and socially backward students.
During the launch of NEAT 2.0, Mr Pokhriyal said: "I am happy that my students have shifted their focus from package culture to patent culture." He also stressed on enabling linkages between the industry and academia for better results.
Mr Nishank also reiterated on how MOOCs, SWAYAM Prabha have been playing an important role in disseminating education. This NEAT 2.0 scheme, the education minister said, will serve as a platform for students who do not have access to the right kind of platform to gain skills as per their talent.
Buddha Chandrasekhar, CCO, NEAT, AICTE, during the launch said that through the NEAT platform, many edtech companies are accessible on a common platform to have a wider reach across the country.
NEAT was announced in 2019 by the Ministry of Education as a public-private partnership project. NEAT is aimed at utilising technology to improve learning in higher education. The objective is to use artificial intelligence to make learning more customised and personalised as per the requirements of the learners.
As per data shared during the NEAT 2.0 launch, as many as 2,05,729 registered for NEAT 1.0 and 22,500 advance free seats were allotted. As part of NEAT, as many as 57,950 seats (worth 14.72 crore) were allotted during the period of COVID-19 lockdown. Through NEAT 1.0 various certificate level courses in areas including AI, coding and machine learning were offered by the private companies.
