New Delhi: The Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) Wednesday asked all education institutions to maintain the academic calendar through online teaching during the second phase of the lockdown.
The order came after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), in fresh guidelines issued Wednesday, asked education institutions to remain shut until 3 May, when the ongoing lockdown is scheduled to end. “However, these establishments are expected to maintain the academic schedule through online teaching,” the guidelines state.
Speaking to ThePrint, HRD Secretary Amit Khare said the “detailed guidelines… issued by the MHA for the functioning of education institutions… will be followed”. “All education institutions will continue teaching through online mode,” he added.
Asked if there were plans to advance the summer vacation in schools or colleges, which usually last from May to July, a senior official of the HRD Ministry said there was no such proposal as of now.
According to the official, the academic session, which many institutions have begun on schedule through online classes, will continue as is.
Meanwhile, the University Grants Commission (UGC) is waiting for a report from a seven-member expert panel headed by Central University of Haryana Vice-Chancellor R.C. Kuhad. The committee was formed to take a call on conducting exams and changing the academic calendar for higher education institutes in light of the current situation.
Exams in most higher education institutions had to be postponed because of the restrictions put in place to control the spread of coronavirus.
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Going online
Schools and colleges around the country have been shut since early March as part of social distancing norms implemented by the government to arrest the spread of Covid-19.
On Tuesday, PM Modi extended the nationwide lockdown in place since 25 March by another 19 days, until 3 May.
The guidelines issued by the MHA Wednesday seek to outline the implementation of this extended lockdown. While weighing in on education, the guidelines suggest “maximum use of Doordarshan and other educational channels for the purpose of education”.
As far as online learning is concerned, the ministry is conducting lessons through various means. Apart from digital platforms like Diksha and NCERT’s e-Pathshala, the ministry has made its educational channels available on DTH services such as Tata Sky, Airtel TV, Videocon and Dish TV.
Under this arrangement, subject experts deliver live lectures on TV and students can ask questions through numbers given on the screen. A recorded broadcast of six hours is followed by live classes for the same duration. According to a note from the ministry issued earlier this month, “four different subject experts” conduct sessions lasting “one and half hour” each.
Schools are at liberty to decide their own programmes for online classes, as many across India have done, but can subscribe to the government service if they wish to.
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