eduVARTA is a new
eduVARTA provides informational SMS updates to rural and semi-urban college students with a focus on educational, jobs, and skills information. The idea is to empower students, and increase the opportunities they get, in terms of more education, employment and self-employment opportunities.
eduVARTA hopes to reach 5 lakhs rural and semi-urban college students (11th std. and up). Considering that the people behind this initiative are the same as those behind SMSOne, which is already reaching 5 lakhs rural and semi-urban households with local updates and ads, it should not be difficult for them to achieve their target quickly.
There is a pressing need for a service like. While students of colleges in cities like Pune are very aware of what is going on in the world, and usually end up getting decent jobs, there are millions of students elsewhere who are so devoid of information, basic skills, and confidence that even a little trickle of information can pay huge dividends. And, at this time, there is no better way to reach this population than SMS.
The eduVARTA website points out that provide the students with this kind of information:
- Notices, announcements, alerts, decisions
- Courses, admission, fees, due dates
- Trainings, workshops, seminars, guest lectures, camps, study tours
- Researches, articles, references, books, publications
- Competition, Events, youth festivals, programs, gathering
- Exams, competitive exams, results, forms
- Sports, magazine, cultural, social committee activities
- Higher education, job opportunities
- Facilities, needs, demands
- Achievements, appointments, success news, sad news
- Alumni news, guest visits
- Scholarships, awards, prizes
And the information comes from the following sources:
- National Innovation Foundation, IIM, Ahmedabad
- CIET, National Center for Educational Research and Training (NCERT), New Delhi
- Stanford Mobile Empowerment and Entrepreneurship Network, USA
- Youth Employment Summit, USA & New Delhi
- Youth & Sports Committee of Planning Commission, GoI
- Digital Empowerment Foundation, New Delhi
- NASSCOM Foundation, Mumbai
- Development Communication India, New Delhi
- Nehru Yuva Kendra Sanghathan (NYKS), New Delhi
- National Service Scheme (NSS), Maharashtra
- National Youth Awardees Association
- Universities, Researchers, Career guidance organizations
- and many individual honorary contributors…
A few days back, at the mbillionth awards 2011, eduVARTA was given the VODAFONE “Mobile for Good” Award by VODAFONE INDIA Foundation & Digital Empowerment Foundation. The award carries a cash prize of Rs. 10L.
Check out the eduVARTA About Us Page to find out more about them.