NCERT Marks 65th Foundation Day, Unveils Bal Vatika TV Channel & DIKSHA 2.0 With AI Tools

New Delhi: The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) on Monday marked its 65th Foundation Day at its headquarters in New Delhi, unveiling a slew of new initiatives, including Bal Vatika DTH TV channel and DIKSHA 2.0 to strengthen digital and inclusive learning in line with the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who graced the occasion as chief guest, was joined by senior officials, including Sanjay Kumar, Secretary (DoSE&L), Ministry of Education, former ISRO Chairman Sreedhara Panicker Somanath, and Chamu Krishna Shastry, Chairman of Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti.

Among the key announcements, NCERT launched Bal Vatika - PM eVidya DTH Channel No. 35, which will provide engaging audio-visual content for teachers, Anganwadi workers, parents, and children aged 3-6 years to boost foundational literacy and numeracy skills.

#WATCH | On 65th Foundation Day of NCERT, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan says, "I hope NCERT will continue to play an important role in educating students and making India a 'vishwa-guru'...NCERT is focusing on education in different languages..." pic.twitter.com/AjHcS6mZ3d

— ANI (@ANI) September 1, 2025

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Delhi: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan says, "I extend my heartfelt wishes to NCERT on its 65th Foundation Day. For nearly 65 years, it has carried the responsibility of India’s knowledge heritage and has contributed greatly to enlightening generations..." pic.twitter.com/3pqEbGF5B3

— IANS (@ians_india) September 1, 2025

Upgraded DIKSHA 2.0 Platform Unveiled

The upgraded DIKSHA 2.0 platform was also unveiled, featuring structured lessons, adaptive assessments, performance feedback, and AI-enabled tools such as Read Aloud, Closed Captioning, and automatic translation of text files into 12 languages.

Other highlights included the inauguration of NCERT's new entrance complex on Aurobindo Marg, the launch of primers in Hindi, Sanskrit, Ho-Hindi, and Koya languages, the release of the PM eVidya mobile app as a centralised gateway for digital learning, and the introduction of Virtual Reality (VR) labs at four demonstration schools.

NCERT also rolled out PRASHAST 2.0--an enhanced pre-assessment screening tool for early identification of children with disabilities, integrated with UDISE+, APAAR and Swavlamban Card portals--along with Kitab Ek Padhe Anek, a universal design of learning-based initiative to create accessible textbooks for inclusive classrooms.

DIKSHA 2.0 was launched today during the 65th Foundation Day of @ncert.

Fully-responsive and compatible with a range of digital devices, it offers structured lessons, adaptive assessments, AI tools like Read Aloud and translation of text files in 12 languages, among others. Got… pic.twitter.com/uCaG1ptfTL

— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) September 1, 2025

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NCERT is not just an institution, it is a ‘Gyan-Kumbh’. Since inception it has traversed a long distance, particularly in nation-building through education. Today, it must embrace its role as a change leader and also don a new avatar—one that is reform oriented, tech-driven and…

— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) September 1, 2025

To promote regional and cultural education, NCERT launched Utkal Jananinkara Sujogya Santana, a book featuring 100 eminent personalities from Odisha who contributed to the state's development and India's freedom movement. In addition, the Handbook for Key Functionaries on Vocational Education was released by PSSCIVE, underlining the renewed emphasis on vocational education in schools under NEP 2020.

Celebrating five years of NEP 2020, NCERT highlighted its role as a key driver of education reforms, having developed and disseminated the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE 2023) and the Foundational Stage Framework (NCF-FS 2022).

(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)