01 August,2026 06:02 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
The platform will also introduce artificial intelligence (AI)-based assessment tools capable of automatically evaluating activities such as poetry recitation, storytelling, and spoken English. Representational pic
More than 31 lakh students across Maharashtra have benefited from the state government's technology-driven 'Vinoba' digital learning platform, an initiative aimed at improving the quality of education in government schools by strengthening collaboration between teachers, students, and parents, the Maharashtra government said on Saturday.
The initiative, being promoted under the leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, is being implemented through a partnership between the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) and the Open Links Foundation (OLF). The two organisations have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to expand the platform to more government schools across the state.
According to the state government, the Vinoba platform is designed to improve learning outcomes, foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN), life skills, teacher empowerment, and parent-school engagement. It is currently being used in nearly 45,000 government schools across 25 districts, involving around 1.3 lakh teachers and benefiting more than 31 lakh students.
During the 2025-26 academic year, over two lakh students accessed practice tests for scholarship examinations, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya admissions, the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship (NMMS) examination, and the National Achievement Survey (NAS) through the platform. The government claimed that the initiative contributed to an improvement of more than 15 per cent in students' success rates in these examinations.
The state also said the platform supported FLN assessments for more than 1.3 lakh students across four districts, resulting in a 23 per cent improvement in achieving the objectives of the NIPUN Bharat Mission.
To promote communication skills, confidence, and creativity among students, the platform hosts activities such as storytelling, poetry recitation, and spoken English sessions. The platform records participation from more than 50,000 students every month.
The 'Nanhe Sitare' initiative, organised across 15 districts, including Yavatmal, has also provided students with opportunities to showcase their artistic talents.
As part of the expanded partnership between SCERT and OLF, the government plans to introduce several new features, including initiatives to strengthen parental participation, empower School Management Committees, establish student clubs, maintain student portfolios, build alumni networks, and organise competitions focused on life skills and values.
The platform will also introduce artificial intelligence (AI)-based assessment tools capable of automatically evaluating activities such as poetry recitation, storytelling, and spoken English.
The government said the digital platform has also reduced teachers' administrative workload, saving more than 1.1 crore working hours. More than 1,100 in-person programmes, including the 'Coffee with CEO' initiative, have been organised across 25 districts to recognise outstanding contributions by teachers and students.
According to the government, the expansion of the Vinoba platform is expected to further strengthen the use of technology in public education and support the state's efforts to build a more student-centric and outcome-oriented school education system.
