Tata Trusts joins hands with Khan Academy to provide free online education in India

Tata Trusts yesterday announced support for US-based non-profit Khan Academy to provide free online education to Indians through one of the biggest open-access online platforms, say reports.

The reports also said Tata Trusts chairman Ratan Tata did not give any figures of the aggregate value of resources which would be granted to Khan Academy during the five-year partnership by Tata Trusts.

Tata Trusts control 66 per cent of the shares of Tata Sons, the holding company of the over $100 billion group.
According to Tata, the promise of free access to quality education was a "new era" and a "compelling opportunity" which could potentially multiply literacy rates attracting the trusts towards making the commitment.

"What the Khan Academy has created is a concept which provides free education and knowledge to anybody, anywhere. Therefore, for me, as an Indian and as a citizen on this planet, it's a great privilege. I look at this as a great opportunity where we will do something to create a difference for generations," Tata told reporters.

According to the hedge fund analyst-turned-founder of Khan Academy, Salman Khan, Indian students already used the academy's content but it was now in the process of creating specialised content in English and Hindi for the benefit of India.

Khan Academy offers practice exercises, instructional videos, and a personalised learning dashboard to help learners study at their own pace in and outside of the classroom.

The organization helps students tackle maths, science, computer programming, history, art history, economics, and more. Khan Academy also partnered with institutions like NASA, The Museum of Modern Art, The California Academy of Sciences, and MIT to offer specialised content.