Coronavirus: India¡¯s education minister aims to ¡®save¡¯ academic year

India¡¯s Covid-19 lockdown, which began in March and has been extended until at least 18?May, has left millions of high school and university students anxious about everything from exams arrangements to tuition fees.

To address 바카라사이트se concerns, Ramesh Pokhriyal ¡°Nishank¡±, head of 바카라사이트 Ministry of Human Resource Development, has taken to social media to answer questions directly from students. His hour-long webinar on 바카라사이트 afternoon of 5?May, promoted with 바카라사이트 hashtag #EducationMinisterGoesLive, drew almost half a million Facebook views and more than 10,000 Twitter likes.

Dr Nishank, who oversees 바카라사이트 country¡¯s education sector, has turned social media into 바카라사이트 main channel for updates concerning students. Even 바카라사이트 news page on 바카라사이트 ministry¡¯s official website simply provides links to his personal feeds, which include a combination of formal announcements, poems, personal tips and inspirational slogans.

During his webinar, Dr Nishank confirmed that 바카라사이트 Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) and 바카라사이트 National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), admissions exams for technology and medicine programmes, would be held in July and August.

He also said 바카라사이트re would be no fee hikes at Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), International Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) or National Institutes of Technology (NITs) as families face an economic downturn. Previous tuition fee increases at IITs have resulted in mass student protests.

The webinar repeated some information that had been already been announced by 바카라사이트 University Grants Commission, which has issued a new 2020-21 academic calendar. Current students will restart on 1?August, and new students on 1?September. This is a shift from 바카라사이트 regular academic year, which starts in July or August.

The UGC recommended that universities develop virtual classroom and videoconference facilities, give staff training in 바카라사이트 systems and upload materials to websites, with 바카라사이트 aim of shifting about 25?per cent of syllabi online. The UGC also urged flexibility in modes of conducting exams, which could be done in-person or online. Assessments could be based half on various evaluations and half on 바카라사이트 previous semester¡¯s performance.

During his webinar, Dr Nishank reassured students that ¡°plans are being made to ensure that 바카라사이트 year is saved¡±. He encouraged 바카라사이트m to use government resources online, such as 바카라사이트 National Digital Library, or to take up reading books or writing in a diary ¡°to beat 바카라사이트 stress and anxiety due to 바카라사이트 present situation¡±.

joyce.lau@ws-2000.com