Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan unveiled the SWAYAM Plus platform on Tuesday, introducing employability and professional development-focused programs in collaboration with industry leaders like L&T, Microsoft, and CISCO. Administered by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Madras, the platform aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, offering courses that enhance learners’ employability.

Pradhan emphasized the platform’s role in providing flexibility to working professionals under the NEP 2020’s multiple-entry-multiple-exit provision. SWAYAM Plus aims to extend the reach of higher education, encompassing 43 million higher education students and working professionals, breaking away from the traditional student model.

Highlighting the transformative potential of SWAYAM Plus, Pradhan stated, “With SWAYAM Plus, we are empowering individuals to upskill and reskill, enhancing their career prospects and contributing to India’s knowledge economy.” The platform allows individuals to balance work and studies through a diverse range of online courses.

SWAYAM, a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) platform initiated by the Union Ministry of Education in 2017, recorded an enrollment of 72 lakh learners by the end of 2023. In alignment with NEP 2020, SWAYAM Plus integrates industry-aligned courses to bolster learners’ employability.

Developed in collaboration with industry giants, SWAYAM Plus incorporates innovative features such as multilingual content, AI-enabled guidance, credit recognition, and pathways to employment. Pradhan emphasized that the platform fosters an ecosystem for all stakeholders, including learners, course providers, industry, academia, and strategic partners.

SWAYAM Plus also envisions additional features like mentorship, scholarships, and job placements as value-added services, building a comprehensive digital ecosystem for learners to pursue upskilling and re-skilling at various levels. Higher Education Secretary K Sanjay Murthy called for increased participation from industry leaders and subject matter experts to contribute courses, ensuring timely and need-based responses. The content on SWAYAM Plus will be available in 12 major Indian languages, promoting accessibility across the country, including Tier 2 and 3 towns and rural areas.

Also read: SWAYAM 2.0 to offer online degrees through top-ranking universities