Backgrounder: DIKSHA, the national digital school platform

DIKSHA: what happened?

A child in a village school and a child in a city school should be able to open the same good lesson. DIKSHA tries to do that: a QR code in an NCERT textbook opens a video or quiz on a phone, in the child’s own language, even offline.

• QR-coded Energised Textbooks link physical NCERT books to videos, interactives and teacher guides.
• Resources include 2D/3D animations, AR, simulations, virtual labs and sign language videos.
• Inclusive features: DAISY format, text-to-speech and Indian Sign Language videos.
• Teacher training runs through NISHTHA and State modules on a built-in Learning Management System.
• More than 614 virtual labs have been created.

How is the platform built?

• It uses a federated architecture: each participant uploads and manages content independently.
• Content comes in mother tongues and regional languages.
• CIET-NCERT validates participant content periodically against guidelines.
• Content can be downloaded for offline use; States preload it on Smart Class boards.

What has NCERT done on languages?

• NCERT translates textbooks for classes 1, 2, 3 and 6 into 22 scheduled languages.
• This follows the National Education Policy 2020 push for learning in many languages from the foundational stage.

What do the usage numbers show?

Which States have the most registered users?

How does a DIKSHA lesson reach a child?

1. States and partners create content in local languages
2. CIET-NCERT validates it
3. Content is linked by QR code to an Energised Textbook
4. Child scans the code or opens it offline on a Smart Class board
5. Practice questions and assessments flag gaps for remediation

Why does DIKSHA matter?

What are the challenges in DIKSHA?

• Daily active users (around 3 lakh) are small next to 2.25 crore registered users.
• Registered users vary widely across States, from 26.80 lakh in Uttar Pradesh to 1,881 in Lakshadweep.
• Quality control depends on periodic validation of content from many uploaders.

What should be done next on DIKSHA?

• Raise regular use, not just registration.
• Expand translated textbooks beyond classes 1, 2, 3 and 6.
• Use dashboard data to target weak learning areas.

What can Prelims ask on DIKSHA?

• DIKSHA: Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing; launched 2017; NCERT with CIET.
• Component of PM e-Vidya; “One Nation, One Digital Platform” for school education.
• 135 languages: 128 Indian and 7 foreign.
• Open-source; federated architecture; Energised Textbooks with QR codes.

How to write about DIKSHA in Mains

Practice question (10 marks, 150 words): Can digital public platforms like DIKSHA reduce learning inequality in school education? Examine.

• Intro: DIKSHA, 2017, NCERT-CIET.
• Reach: languages, offline, QR textbooks.
• Inclusion features and teacher training.
• Limits: low daily use, State gaps.
• Conclusion: use with classroom support.

What should UPPCS aspirants note?

• Uttar Pradesh has the most registered DIKSHA users of any State: 26.80 lakh, as on 27 June 2026.