THE PM EVIDYA SCHEME AS AN ELEARNING SCHEME FOR DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS IN INDIA DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

ELearning, as a tool to attain education, has seen prolific advancements over the course of the last few years. Additionally, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the importance of eLearning even further. With nationwide lockdowns resulting in the closure of schools in various countries, educational institutions have been forced to conform to the paradigm of eLearning as a form of education. With an aim to continue students' education amid the crisis, the government of India has announced the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri (PM) eVidya Scheme, which offers a wide range of eLearning platforms for students in India. This paper analyses the potential effectiveness of the scheme in the country, primarily by studying the impact of the scheme on Indian students who may not have access to technological resources required to effectively engage in eLearning. The inability of such disadvantaged students to engage in eLearning would influence the overall success of the scheme in the country.