The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has recently introduced a new initiative, the Self Assessment Test and Help for Entrance Exams (SATHEE) scheme, aimed at helping students prepare for competitive exams like engineering (JEE), medical (NEET), and government services (SSC) at no cost. This programme is designed to support students from diverse backgrounds, especially those in remote and rural areas, providing high-quality learning resources, expert mentorship and self-assessment tools.
The initiative, launched by the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, in partnership with IIT Kanpur, aims to provide free, high-quality training for competitive exams. The online platform offers 45-day crash training for all critical exams in over five languages, including English. According to official ministry data, over 4.37 lakh students have taken advantage of the crash courses and started preparing for exams since the scheme’s inception.
The ‘Sathee Portal’ is a comprehensive online platform providing students access to learning materials, video lectures, mock tests, and expert mentorship to prepare for competitive exams. It aims to reduce the reliance on costly coaching centres and offers a wide range of resources for students of all backgrounds. This programme is part of the government’s more considerable efforts under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 to ensure equitable access to education for all. The platform is designed to be student-friendly and includes a variety of resources, such as over 60,000 questions and 10,000 hours of video lectures from experts in institutions like IIT and AIIMS. Students can register for free, choosing their area of focus, engineering, medical, or SSC exams and access tutorials and self-assessment tools.
Key features of the Saathi Scheme
- Mentorship from Experts: Students preparing for competitive exams can seek guidance from subject experts and mentors from prestigious institutions like IITs, NITs, and AIIMS. These mentors, including professors and senior students, provide advice, share experiences, and offer other personal guidance through live interactive sessions.
- Self-Assessment Tools: A major feature of the Saathi scheme is its AI-driven self-assessment tool, which allows students to evaluate their own progress and readiness for exams. The tool tracks learning patterns, offers insights into strengths and weaknesses, and provides personalized recommendations for improvement.
- Video Lectures and Multilingual Content: The platform offers recorded video lectures covering various topics in engineering, medical, and SSC subjects. These lectures are available not only in English and Hindi but also in other regional languages, ensuring that students from diverse linguistic backgrounds can benefit from the content. This multilingual approach is part of the government’s effort to make education more inclusive.
- Crash Courses and Mock Tests: Students can also participate in 45-dat crash courses designed to help them consolidate their knowledge and prepare for exams more intensively. Curated by subject experts, mock tests and problem-solving sessions are an integral part of the preparation process, giving students real-time exam practice.
The platform has a chatbot to handle student queries and facilitate easy resource access. The Sathee portal operates from 10 AM to 6 PM every day except Sundays and government holidays. Students who are looking to prepare for national-level competitive examinations like JEE, NEET, and SSC can now complete their preparations using its website.
