Online classes are the latest trend followed by Delhi University these days. However, these online classes are creating major adversity for the students who are unable to attend them. Hence, students are finding it difficult due to a lack of facilities and end up feeling deprived and depressed. Recently, a bright student from the prestigious DU college Lady Shri Ram, committed suicide due to financial crisis and incapability of attending online classes. Numerous other students are also at the receiving end of the widening digital gap.
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Online classes, digital gap, and financial crisis as the reason for Aishwarya’s death:
Aishwarya Reddy, the student from Lady Shri Ram underwent a financial crisis at home in the coronavirus time. The whole lockdown has been very harsh on her family and they were unable to meet their needs. Aishwarya was unable to get a second-hand laptop for her classes and was also sent a notice to vacate her hostel. All these limitations and her crisis triggered her to an extent that she took such a rouge step of taking away her life.
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Hence, the harshness and severity of the situation are well highlighted. Financial constraints and incapability of attending the online classes can lead to a series of doldrums and a widening digital gap. Therefore, there are a lot of students who are helpless and need help in these times.
Problems faced by other students in online classes creating a digital gap:
Darshana, also a student from LSR is trying hard to cope up and create a balance between online classes and family responsibilities. Hence, she can not attend all her classes as she has to babysit her young brother. Also, the trend of online classes is difficult because of the lack of digital infrastructure. Hence, living in a rural area, she has to walk for hours daily to enter the network zone. These are the problems that Darshana is facing daily.
Female students for Ambedkar University says that they are expected to do household chores along with taking classes. Hence, all this creates an environment of hostility and an unnecessary burden on students.
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Online classes demand full support from college faculty:
Several teachers expect presentations and thesis from students. The students also complain that the teachers demand to turn on the camera and also ask for clean backgrounds. Hence, all this is in no way possible for students as some of them don’t own a smartphone or have a mediocre one. The data packs are also very expensive and are not everyone’s cup of tea. However, the teachers are also reported of mocking poor students which is not justified.
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Therefore, the student expects some cooperation from the teachers in these online classes. All these problems need attention from the DU administration else more cases of suicide might come. Therefore, none of the students should be deprived of education and should be assisted in all possible ways.
