Mobile devices are replacing traditional paper study materials across India. Students now use a wide range of free and paid learning apps. While these digital tools can make education more accessible, new data shows their actual impact depends on how families and educators use them at home.
What Happened
India's government has launched large-scale public initiatives designed to bypass expensive private coaching. The Ministry of Education, in partnership with IIT Kanpur, launched SATHEE, a free platform helping students prepare for highly competitive national entrance exams like JEE and NEET. This portal offers expert-led study materials and has already shown high-stakes results, helping 677 students qualify for the JEE Advanced 2026 exam. It also offers free coaching to government school students in Punjab.
Similarly, the national DIKSHA portal integrates digital content into school lessons. By scanning QR codes in NCERT textbooks, students access interactive lessons, worksheets, and Personalised Academic Learning (PAL) courses designed to adapt to their individual learning paces. Meanwhile, regional projects like Tamil Nadu's bilingual "Ask DIKSHA" chatbot use artificial intelligence to provide 24/7 homework assistance to students and lesson planning support to teachers.
The Bigger Picture
Despite massive reach, these platforms struggle to keep students engaged once the novelty fades. According to data published by The Hindu, while national enrollments on DIKSHA exceed 18.5 crore, daily active users sit at just 1.11 lakh. This drop-off is worsened by a digital divide. A national survey revealed that 67% of ninth-grade students lack computer access at home, meaning most digital learning must happen on shared family smartphones.
The rise of quick-fix camera applications like Photomath presents a challenge. When students use these tools to bypass hard problems, they fail to learn the underlying concepts. However, academic research shows that these apps can be effective when used intentionally. A 9th-grade math achievement study found that when students used Photomath as a tool to verify their manual attempts and identify errors, their math scores more than doubled. Similar research on university-level math students confirmed that immediate symbolic explanations promote self-directed learning, provided students do not default to uncritical copying.
What This Means for Families
For parents, the takeaway is clear: free platforms can compete with private tutors, but they are not hands-off solutions. While SATHEE provides practice tests and video lectures, exam preparation guides note that high-achieving students still need to supplement the platform with external resources like national newspapers and specialized current affairs magazines.
As we previously reported on TLS, the success of digital tools depends on moving away from passive screen viewing. Parents must help children transition from consuming digital content to actively applying it. Without a structured study environment and guidance on how to use AI-powered math solvers, free tools risk becoming distractions rather than learning aids.
What You Can Do
First, parents can establish a "Try First" rule. Before using quick-solve apps like Photomath or Brainly, children should write down at least two manual attempts at solving a problem, using the app strictly for self-correction.
Second, families should use multiple study sources. When using SATHEE for exams like JEE or NEET, students should combine digital courses with offline reading and regular national news coverage to build comprehension.
Finally, students can use the QR codes in NCERT textbooks. Scanning these DIKSHA codes before starting a new chapter lets students watch animations and demonstrations, making the textbook content easier to understand.