Tirupati: Education system heading towards virtual route!

Tirupati: The lockdown in the country has brought uncertainty in the higher education sector with several entrance examinations for higher studies apart from yearend semester examinations put on hold indefinitely.

The outbreak of Covid-19 has shattered the entire academic schedule forcing the planners and educationists to totally reshape the sector.

By the time the lockdown was imposed, the basic task before universities and professional colleges was to complete the syllabus. While some universities have gone in for virtual mode to finish this task, some others could not do so may be due to the fact that both faculty and students are not familiar on such platforms.

The main task before the universities now is to bring students back to the campuses after lockdown and maintain social distancing amidst haunting coronavirus fears to complete the syllabus and conduct examinations.

The UGC has issued guidelines a couple of days ago to conduct examinations only for the final semester students who are about to complete their course leaving the modalities to universities. Reducing examination duration to complete the process in multiple shifts, online examinations etc. being some of the options.

The varsities can take a decision on giving grades to other semester students based on their performance in their previous semesters and on internal assessment.

A Professor of SV University observed that the traditional system of pen and paper examinations may not be possible in the future. In the same breadth, he expressed doubts over the efficacy of conducting examinations online as it involves various factors.

Apart from examinations, academicians expect a sea change in the classroom system. There is an opinion that the classroom strength has to be reduced at least by half to maintain social distancing even if the traditional mode of teaching has to be continued. In such a case, faculty have to teach in one room and it can be telecast over CCTV in the other room. There are possibilities of bringing in shift system so that some courses can be operated in the forenoon and others in afternoon.

However, there is a wider possibility of going for virtual classes in which SP Mahila Visvavidyalayam (SPMVV) is a way ahead. "There is a need to redefine academics and research. Virtual platform needs to be strengthened. It is important how best we have to take it objectively. Of course, we could complete the syllabus online with much satisfaction," explained Prof D Jamuna, Vice Chancellor of SPMVV.

Speaking to The Hans India, she felt that research has to undergo major changes in the present scenario. How to conduct admissions for next academic year would also be an issue to be solved.

However, she said that still there are problems regarding bandwidth and internet connectivity - problems which need to be addressed based on the future needs.