The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the political, social, economic, and financial structures of the world. Due to this, the world has adopted the online mode in almost every possible field. In India, the deadly coronavirus has affected 3.31 million people claiming around 60,000 lives. Out of many affected industries, educational institutes are at worse. The future of millions of students is at stake. However, the educational institutes now have adopted the digital mode to prevent students’ academic loss.
Poverty And Online Education
With the distinctive rise of e-learning, the education system took a dramatic change in view of the coronavirus. But despite the rise in wireless users, urban and rural India are miles apart in their online presence.
As per the current scenario, students and teachers have to cope with the demands of the time, as it has already affected the education field and student’s lives. Out of 1.38 billion people, more than 800 million people in India are considered poor. While some students are comfortable with the digital mode of learning with their laptops and desk ready, more students consider this a nightmare.
Is India Ready For The Sudden Online Shift?
Some e-learners have shared their views on the online mode of learning. A student of a CBSE affiliated school from Delhi revealed based on anonymity that her school is taking classes on WhatsApp voice notes instead of ZOOM, Google Meet, or Microsoft classes. On finding the reason, it came to light that they have no choice as the students do not have laptops or smartphones. Most of them use their parents’ mobile phones, which they carry to their offices with them. Some also said that they couldn’t spend hundreds of rupees on mobile data considering the current economic crisis.
In July, Delhi University had conducted an online mock test, which had reportedly turned into a mockery. According to a Times Now report, the website crashed on the day students were supposed to submit an online mock test. They had also complained about the question paper being received hours after the test began, which failed to register to appear for the exams.
RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha had expressed his displeasure and requested the HRD Minister, Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal, to remove the dogma of the OBE exams and how University was not ready to handle the situation. Not only students but teachers are also facing a lot of issues due to the sudden online shift. Now, professors and teachers who were not familiar with the virtual learning platforms have been forced to enter the virtual world. There were also individual cases that came to light on social media, where undisciplined students bullied them.
On summing up the known and unknown issues, it can be said that India is not yet fully ready for advanced teaching. Major issues that the students are facing are lack of equipment, electricity issues, and poor internet connection. It is another issue that students continue to witness every day. Some students claim that even when schools and colleges are putting in a lot of effort, they somehow fail to create an exact environment as of school and colleges.
Other than this, online mode of education is also making students careless about their studies as it is easier to procrastinate while no instructor is hounding them to stay on task.
However, on a positive aspect, e-learning is making India an advanced learner owing to the pandemic. It also shows that India’s government is putting education on priority as the academic loss will affect the future of millions of students. Some students claim that online classes are convenient and flexible as it brings education right at home.
Around 23 million people globally have been diagnosed with Covid-19. While more than 15million have recovered, around 799000 have died so far.