The Indian government is intending to allow Universities and Institutes to deliver up to 40% of their course work online. The 40% of course work is almost double of what was permitted to date. The government authorities are trying to cope up with the academic loss incurred due to the prevailing situation of coronavirus.
University Grant Commission (UGC) which is the supreme higher education controller has started working on the plan. UGC has even built a task force to enforce the changes and cope with the loss. Recently in a meeting with higher education institution’s principals, vice-chancellors, directors, and administrators, UGC introduced its plan and the related strategies.
D.P. Singh- UGC Chairman instructed colleges and universities about the 40% revision of online courses. As per the reports, Singh informed Universities that statutes of amending the 20% course syllabus as the permissible limit to make it 40%. The revision from 20% to 40% will help to boost the academics which is perhaps the need of the hour.
Table of Contents
SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES TO BE REOPEN AFTER AUGUST 15, AS SAID BY THE HRD MINISTER
India’s supreme education system UGC comprises of around 50,000 colleges which are shut down since March 16 due to Covid-19. However, the Union Home Ministry was optimistic about alleviating the current situation by July. The ministry was holding the opinion of restarting the schools after July. The rising number if coronavirus has put this opinion in doubt. The IIT Kharagpur has asked its students who are stranded in the hostels to return to their towns by June 20.
A government official added that it seems hard to get back to normal before 3-6 months. According to him restarting of schools and colleges by August seems next to impossible due to the prevailing situation. Furthermore, the disturbance has already been caused to the education system and we are already running behind by three months. There is a need to come up with a powerful proposal to get back to the smooth learning process. Till then damage will continue to prevail in the higher education region.
He further added that earlier only 20% of course realization was allowed but the growing need demands it bring it up to 40% to cope up with the loss. 40% online course delivery is meant to save the time and energy of the students as well as of the teachers. An expert commit has been established by UGC which is working on the same and will soon come up with a plan.
ONLINE CLASSES: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT WORKING ON STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES
The Union government is working to bring up a single storehouse for all the e-resources for all the Indian educational institutions. The government is trying to promote online education to bring development. The Finance Minister recently announced that the top 100 universities will be permitted to fully online courses from the imminent academic year. The revision of academic online course delivery to 40% is different from fully online courses. The main purpose of revising the limit is to make sure that conventional colleges and institutions are not left out.
Furthermore, D.P. Singh asserted that Universities and institutions are required to enhance their online education system to minimize academic loss. Universities should make sure that the teachers get families with technology and make use of it.
