E-Paper
Trying to make e-learning immersive and constructive: Pokhriyal
Union HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ spoke to Hindustan Times about the CBSE and University exams, fee structures in schools during Covid-19,summer vacations, e-learning, and research linked to the coronavirus disease.
Union HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ spoke to Hindustan Times about the CBSE and University exams, fee structures in schools during Covid-19,summer vacations, e-learning, and research linked to the coronavirus disease. Edited excerpts:
Covid-19 struck at a time when thousands of students were waiting for their CBSE Class 12 exams to finish. Will it be possible to conduct the remaining exams, or are you considering alternative measures to promote students?
The safety of teachers and students is our prime concern. We also need to ensure social distancing in the examination room. Keeping these considerations in mind, and to ease the pressure on the minds of students, I directed CBSE to reschedule the board examinations for Class 10 and 12. In view of these concerns, will now be conducting board examinations of 29 core courses, instead of 83 courses. The decision on the conduction of examinations will be taken by undertaking extensive consultation with various education authorities and by keeping all aspects related to entrance exams, admissions dates, etc, in mind. CBSE will give notice of about 10 days to all stakeholders before starting examinations.
Is there a possibility that there won’t be any exams?
Our students, their parents and teachers are all prepared for the circumstances that may occur. It cannot be predicted now what the situation will be on May 3. Many of our schools are functioning as quarantine centres. It has to be seen what decision the government takes. I would assure students not to be anxious, we will continue to support them in all possible ways.
Is it possible to get the answer sheets evaluated during the lockdown period?
Due to present situation and countrywide lockdown, CBSE has not been able to continue its evaluation work. The board will come out with further instructions for evaluating and dates for restart of evaluation work in various evaluation centres after rightfully assessing the situation. The safety and health of our teachers is as important for us that of students.
Similarly, universities are also unable to conduct exams. Do you think it is possible to hold online exams?
To assess the possibility of conduction of online exams for higher education MHRD has constituted a task force under UGC. We will issue the guidelines on the basis of that report.
Does the HRD ministry plan to recommend early declaration of the summer vacations to coincide with the lockdown period?
MHRD has not recommended early declaration of the summer vacations to coincide with the lockdown period. We believe that pandemic should not be a reason to stop. We are trying our best to find opportunities to make sure learning continues.
MHRD has set up a task force under NCERT to deliberate on the academic calendar. To ensure that learning does not stop, MHRD recommends the use of e- learning platforms -- like Diksha, Swayam, Swayam Prabha, e–patshala, Nreor.
You have been focusing on online learning. Can it be an effective substitute to classroom learning?
I agree that the pandemic has derailed the classroom process, but at the same time I would encourage all the students to continue learning using e-resources. E-Learning provides wider opportunities for enhanced learning, flexibility of learning at your convenience, uniform quality content delivery, reusability of content, less paper for hand-outs and books, saves time by enabling quick access to information, and the ease of research across subjects.
The teachers and students are putting in remarkable efforts to make sure that the learning does not stop. We are putting in our efforts and resources to make e-learning more immersive and constructive, and to nurture the capability of turning this crisis into an opportunity.
Questions are being asked about the digital divide when it comes to online learning. Has the HRD ministry made any efforts or conveyed concerns related to this issue to the IT ministry?
To address the digital divide, MHRD has tied up with Information & Broadcasting ministry to air Swayam Prabha channels on their DTH platform, Tata Sky, and Airtel DTH. Earlier, Swayam channels were be available on DD-DTH, Dish TV and Jio TV App. Now a student anywhere in India can request the DTH service provider for these channels without any extra cost as these are free-to-air channels. Swayam Prabha is a group of 32 DTH channels providing high quality educational curriculum based course contents covering diverse disciplines.
We are also trying to explore the option of All India Radio to transact the curriculum to students so that we can reach the last person in the queue.
You have appealed to private schools to not pressure students into paying quarterly fees. You have also asked schools not to lay off teachers. Have you planned any further steps or consultation?
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has urged the citizens to give priority to human values in the time of this pandemic. In line with the same, I have appealed to all the private schools, given the difficult circumstances of the unprecedented health emergency. It is recommended to the private schools to not to charge the increased annual feel from the parents. Also, to not to take the fees for three months together. Further, schools should be disbursing timely salary to their teachers and entire staff.
In case schools continue to demand high fees or remove teachers, will there be some action?
I feel the state education ministers will handle these issues in appropriate manner.
Have you looked at the research carried out by educational institutions under HRD? How satisfied are you?
To monitor and coordinate the research and development,we have recently formed a separate and a new research division within the ministry. Earlier, monitoring work was undertaken under the respective bureaus.
In respect to Covid-19, IITs are doing remarkable research on technology initiatives to control infections. More than 250 projects have been undertaken in the following areas -- personal protective equipment, testing kits, sanitisation, medical equipment and robots, surveillance, pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment, and data analytics/AI to model epidemic patterns and disease dynamics.
Since the entire focus has shifted to the coronavirus, the biggest educational reform, the New Education Policy (NEP) is held up. What is its status?
We are coherently working at a faster pace on the New Education Policy. We will submitting it to the Cabinet soon.
Seven IITs issued a statement that they were boycotting the Times Higher Education ranking because of doubtful criteria. How does the ministry view this development? Do you support the IITs?
It has come to my notice. They feel the ranking agency has worked in an arbitrary manner. There must be some instances because of which they felt so. I also sometimes feel that there should be an understanding of the Indian context. I will speak to the directors of the IITs and if needed also look at the parameters of the ranking agency.
