No more unchecked uploads: SCERT sets up 10-member panel, sharpens scrutiny of academic content before release

The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) has set up a 10-member committee tasked with reviewing academic podcasts and digital content prior to their release on the SCERT Studio YouTube channel, as per an official order dated April 17.

The initiative is intended to ensure that all published material meets standards of quality, maintains relevance, and aligns closely with the goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, along with guidelines issued by SCERT and the Directorate of Education. 

Committee composition and role 

According to the order, the newly formed panel will scrutinise podcasts and e-content created by SCERT as well as faculty members from District Institutes of Education and Training (DIET) before they are made public. The committee will be chaired by the SCERT secretary and joint director, and will include representatives from the Directorate of Education, principals of DIETs, and faculty members drawn from SCERT headquarters and the Central Institute of Educational Technology. 

Evaluation criteria and scoring 

As outlined in its terms of reference, the committee will assess content based on several parameters, including its alignment with NEP 2020 and departmental guidelines, its academic relevance and factual accuracy, and the quality of audio-visual elements along with the overall presentation. Each of these three broad categories will carry a weightage of 10 marks, forming the basis of the evaluation framework. 

Approval, revision or rejection 

Following the review process, the panel will recommend whether the content should be approved, revised, or rejected. It will also propose specific improvements wherever necessary before the material is released for public access, ensuring that only vetted and refined content is published. 

(With inputs from PTI)