'SWAYAM', an initiative of the Government of India, aims at
Answer & explanation
Answer: (d) providing affordable and quality education to the citizens for free
SWAYAM is the Government of India's online-course platform that takes teaching resources for classes 9 to post-graduation to anyone, anywhere, free of cost, with the aim of access, equity and quality in education. So option (d) fits.
- ✓ (d) SWAYAM's objective is to take the best teaching-learning resources to all, including the most disadvantaged; its courses are free of cost to any learner.
- ✗ (b) SWAYAM is an education platform, not a scheme of finance or technical help for start-up entrepreneurs.
- ✗ (a) It has nothing to do with organising Self Help Groups in rural areas; it hosts online courses.
- • Since then Courses on SWAYAM are still free to study, but a SWAYAM certificate now requires a proctored exam for which a fee is charged (SWAYAM website, 2026).
Remember · SWAYAM: Ministry of Education's free online-course (MOOC) platform for class 9 to post-graduation, built on the principles of access, equity and quality.
Sources
- SWAYAM (Ministry of Education, Government of India): About SWAYAM ↗ “The objective of this effort is to take the best teaching learning resources to all, including the most disadvantaged. … All the courses are interactive, prepared by the best teachers in the country and are available, free of cost to any learner.”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2016, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·