Assam to develop teaching-learning materials for school students in collaboration with IIT Guwahati

The Assam government will collaborate with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati to develop teaching-learning materials (TLM) for early-grade students, replacing its existing practice of procuring such materials from private businesses through tenders, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Tuesday, November 10.

Briefing reporters after the state Cabinet meeting, Sarma said the materials would be jointly developed at the IIT Guwahati Research Park, with a focus on addressing the learning needs of children.

The chief minister said the government had so far purchased teaching-learning materials from various traders through a tendering process under the Samagra Shiksha programme before distributing them to schools.

"Earlier, we purchased this TLM from various traders through tenders and distributed it. Today, we took a decision that at our IIT Guwahati Research Park, we will jointly develop this TLM material, keeping in mind the learning needs of children. We will distribute the jointly developed TLM to schools," Sarma said.

He added that the new arrangement would involve the state government directly in developing the educational materials in partnership with the premier technical institute, instead of relying on private vendors for procurement.

The initiative is aimed at ensuring that teaching-learning materials distributed to schools are developed in accordance with the educational requirements of students at the foundational learning stage.

However, the chief minister did not disclose the estimated cost of the initiative or the timeline for its implementation.

The IIT Guwahati Research Park was established as an initiative of the Union Ministry of Education to facilitate research, innovation and collaboration. The institute had earlier signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Samagra Shiksha Assam to provide training to teachers working in government schools.