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IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation, in collaboration with 'Vidya Shakti' by OpenMentor, has formed a partnership to provide online classes and virtual reality-based education to students in rural areas of Uttar Pradesh. OpenMentor is the corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative of Softsmith Infotech Private Limited.

This initiative has been launched to address the 'knowledge gap' that has widened between students from urban and rural areas due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The online classes will primarily focus on language fundamentals, as well as Mathematics and Science subjects.

The initiative has successfully commenced in 100 villages of Varanasi district, where sessions are conducted in Hindi medium for students in Classes 6 and 8.

By incorporating diverse technologies, student retention rates have witnessed significant improvement. STEM tutors utilize VR headsets in classrooms to immerse students in educational content and provide an interactive environment through sensor-based experiences. In the subjects of Science and Mathematics, concise 3D videos are employed to enhance comprehension. To make the learning experience more memorable, interactive question and answer sessions are integrated into the visualization sessions. This approach encourages students to become more responsive, communicative, and engaged, as they actively participate by providing answers during Q&A interactions.

During each session, the STEM tutor will carry three to four VR devices and visit one school in the morning and another in the afternoon. The tutor will provide a brief explanation of the concept to the students, followed by the students viewing the VR videos in small groups.

The IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation serves as the technology innovation hub of the institute. It is a non-profit organization that receives funding from the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.