In a significant step towards empowering educators with 21st-century skills, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the global visual communication platform Canva. The collaboration aims to launch three free, self-paced, digital training and certification programmes for school teachers across India. These programmes are designed to enhance digital literacy, foster creativity, and build collaborative teaching capabilities in classrooms.
The Canva teacher training modules will be made available on DIKSHA, the Ministry of Education’s national platform for school education. To further extend its reach, the content will also be broadcast on PM eVidya’s DTH television channels, ensuring access even in remote areas with limited internet connectivity. The courses will be offered in multiple Indian languages to ensure inclusivity and greater participation among educators nationwide.
Through these training programmes, teachers will be introduced to Canva for Education—a tool that enables the creation of interactive lesson plans, visually rich presentations, engaging infographics, and other classroom materials. Educators will also be guided on collaborative teaching practices and how to incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) tools to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes.
Upon successful completion, participating teachers will receive a joint certification from NCERT and Canva. Under the MoU, Canva will offer free access to its educational platform and assist in content development, while NCERT will align the course material with India’s national curriculum and local educational needs.
The initiative is aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasizes technology integration, visual learning, and experiential pedagogy. Teachers will be trained to explore Canva’s vast educational library, which includes more than 500 integrated apps and tools—ranging from translation support and gamified learning tools to ready-to-use worksheets and infographics.
One of the highlights of the programme is the inclusion of Canva’s AI-powered tools such as Dream Lab, which allows educators to create customised visuals with ease, reducing preparation time and increasing classroom effectiveness. This collaboration is expected to revolutionize how teachers approach content delivery, foster creativity in learning, and elevate digital teaching standards across India.
By providing free and high-quality professional development, the NCERT-Canva partnership marks a transformative moment for Indian educators, ensuring they are well-equipped to lead classrooms in the digital age.
