A Brief Overview of Open Educational Resources Accessible in Indian Digital Learning Repositories

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of the major open educational resource (OER) repositories available in India. The researchers focused on the digital learning repositories maintained by the INFLIBNET Centre, a premier institution under the University Grants Commission of India. The repositories examined include Shodhganga (a repository of Indian theses and dissertations), Shodhgangotri (a repository of research synopses), the INFLIBNET Institutional Repository, INFOPORT (a subject gateway for Indian e-resources), e-PG Pathshala (an e-content project), Swayam Prabha (free educational DTH channels), and Vidya-mitra (an integrated e-content portal). The study highlights the objectives, features, and content of these repositories, which provide free and open access to a wealth of educational materials across diverse disciplines. These repositories play a crucial role in preserving and disseminating India's intellectual output, benefiting both the academic community and the general public. The review of related studies indicates that factors such as perceived ease of use, usefulness, free access, and user attitudes positively influence the adoption of OERs. However, challenges remain, including limited time for resource discovery, lack of awareness about usage and copyright, technological limitations, inadequate organizational support, and quality assurance concerns. The paper underscores the need for further research and awareness-building efforts to maximize the potential of these open educational repositories in India.