Syllabus for survival

Educational institutions plan to checkmate the threat of Covid-19 by reinventing the academic culture and deploying innovative technology

- ABHINAV SINGH

When IIT Bombay director Subhasis Chaudhuri found that the online teaching system adopted by the institute to beat the Covid-19 pandemic was not serving its purpose, he put the ongoing semester on pause. Chaudhuri and his team instead launched a summer term under a special dispensation scheme for those expected to graduate in the current academic year. The spring semester is now likely to restart on June 1 and will finish by the end of the month with an appropriately designed evaluation scheme.

Uncertainty regarding admissions, completion of ongoing courses and future placement of students have become major concerns for educational institutions across the country. With Covid-19 cases increasing by the day, regular academic activity is unlikely to restart anytime soon. All regular examinations have been delayed, with the government announcing on May 5 fresh dates for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE-Mains) and National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). The JEEMains will now be conducted from July 18-23, JEE-Advanced in August and NEET on July 26.

Chaudhuri admitted that the admission process would be delayed because of the postponement, but he said the institute was prepared for it. “If required, we will increase the lecture hours and shall use the vacation to align the academic calendar by December end, and if that is not possible, by June 2021,” said Chaudhuri. “Saving lives comes before education. We shall work out a scheme so that careers of our students are not jeopardised. We do anticipate some disturbances because of the likely economic slowdown. However, IITs always provide manpower at the top of the talent pool.”