In News:

• The National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) launched the third phase of the Amazon Future Engineer Program in 50 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS).
• Schools involved are spread across Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana, and Tripura.

Program Focus Areas:

• Emerging Technologies: The third phase introduces tribal students to key areas like:
  • Blockchain technology
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI)
  • Coding and block programming
• The program is designed to equip students with skills in computer science fundamentals.

Teacher Training:

• A four-day in-person training workshop for teachers was conducted to empower them with the skills necessary to teach emerging technologies effectively.
• Teachers also participated in the EMRS Coders Expo, showcasing top student coding projects from the previous academic year.

Target Audience:

• Students: The program targets students from grades 6 to 9. Class 10 students will participate in project-based virtual sessions aligned with the CBSE AI Skills Curriculum.
• The goal is to enhance students' understanding of computer science and technology and prepare them for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) careers.

Program Expansion:

• Future Plans: The program will be rolled out in the next phase to cover a total of 410 EMRSs across India.
• Impact: Over 7,000 students in grades 6 to 8 have already benefited from the program’s introduction to computer science and block programming.

Key Goals of the Program:

• Empower Tribal Students: Provide tribal students with modern technological skills to prepare them for future STEM careers.
• Capacity Building: Equip both teachers and students with the knowledge and skills to engage with emerging technologies.
• Fostering Technological Literacy: The initiative aims to foster technological literacy and modernize education in tribal areas.

Recognition:

• During the event, Top 3 Student Coding Projects were felicitated for their creativity and innovation.
• The Top 3 IT Teachers were also recognized for their dedication in guiding students through the program.

Partnership with Amazon:

• The program is a collaboration between NESTS and Amazon, showcasing a joint effort to improve educational access and technological skill development among tribal students.

Why is it in the News?

The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, being the Nodal Department for the welfare of senior citizens, develops and implements programmes and policies for these groups in close collaboration with State Governments, Non-Governmental Organisations and civil society.

About the Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY):

• It is a Central Sector Scheme to improve the quality of life of the Senior Citizens.
• The project is implemented by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment.

Aims and Objectives:

• The main objective of the Scheme is to improve the quality of life of Senior Citizens by providing basic amenities like shelter, food, medical care and entertainment opportunities and by encouraging productive and active ageing through providing support for capacity building of State/ UT Governments/Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)/Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) / local bodies and the community at large.

The components of the AVYAY Scheme are as under:-

• • Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC)
  • State Action Plan for Senior Citizens (SAPSrC)
  • Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY)
  • Elderline – National Helpline for Senior Citizens
  • Senior-care Ageing Growth Engine (SAGE)
  • Geriatric Caregivers Training

Components of the AVYAY Scheme:

• Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC): Grant aid is provided to Non-Governmental/ Voluntary Organizations for running and maintenance of Senior Citizens' Homes (old age homes), continuous care homes, etc.
  • Facilities like shelter, nutrition, medicare and entertainment are provided free of cost to indigent senior citizens.
• State Action Plan for Senior Citizens (SAPSrC): Grant in aid is released to States/ UTs for the creation of a pool of trained Geriatric Caregivers for senior citizens, for carrying a special drive for Cataract Surgeries for Senior Citizens and State Specific Activities for the welfare of senior citizens, especially who are indigent in the States/UTs.
• Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY): To provide for senior citizens, suffering from any age-related disability/infirmity such as low vision, hearing impairment, loss of teeth and loco-motor disabilities.
  • The eligible senior citizens under this component are those who are in the BPL Category or have monthly income up to Rs.15000/.
  • Generic and non-generic devices are distributed to the senior citizens through the camps.
• Elderline: National Helpline for Senior Citizens (14567): The Ministry has set up the National Helpline for Senior Citizens to provide free information, Guidance, Emotional Support and field intervention in cases of abuse and rescues.
• Senior-care Ageing Growth Engine (SAGE): To promote out-of-the-box and innovative solutions for commonly faced problems, innovative start-ups are identified and encouraged to develop products, processes and services for the welfare of the elderly under this initiative.
  • The initiative is implemented through IFCI Venture Capital Funds Ltd. (Investment Manager).
• Geriatric Caregivers Training: To bridge the gap in supply and increasing demand in the field of geriatric caregivers and also to create a cadre of professional caregivers in the field of geriatrics.
  • The component is implemented through the National Institute of Social Defence and at present 3,180 geriatric caregivers have been trained.