Maharashtra Unveils ‘MAHASWAYAM’ Portal for Online Higher Education Courses

The state government of Maharashtra is gearing up to launch ‘MAHASWAYAM,’ a dedicated portal for higher education courses. Drawing inspiration from the central government’s SWAYAM portal, ‘MAHASWAYAM’ aims to create a comprehensive platform for online courses, aligning with the evolving landscape of education.

Chandrakant Patil, the Minister of Higher and Technical Education, chaired a meeting on Friday to deliberate on the effective implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) in the state. Professor Shailendra Deolankar, the Director of Higher Education, underscored the active involvement of state universities in offering online courses. To ensure inclusivity for all students, the decision was made to launch ‘MAHASWAYAM’ as a state-centric portal.

Under the NEP, students now have the flexibility to pursue online courses for minor subjects, earning valuable credits towards their final scores. Addressing concerns related to academic calendars and fees on the existing SWAYAM portal, Deolankar emphasized that ‘MAHASWAYAM’ aims to provide a holistic solution for both students and administrators.

“To implement this initiative, the state government has formed a consortium comprising Yashvantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University, Savitribai Phule Pune University, University of Mumbai, and Shivaji University, Kolhapur. Over the next three months, the consortium will collaboratively design the portal, focusing on courses related to Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS),” said Deolankar.

Minister Patil stressed the importance of leveraging social media for information dissemination, urging the department to comprehensively update the web portal in multiple languages. Additionally, he directed the creation of a dedicated Twitter handle for the Higher and Technical Education Department to ensure regular updates reach a wider audience. The imminent launch of ‘MAHASWAYAM’ is anticipated to reshape the higher education landscape in Maharashtra, offering students a versatile and accessible platform for online learning.