Educational institutions asked to start on-line classes

Lucknow Apr 13 : With the possibility of extension of lockdown looming large, the Uttar Pradesh government has asked all educational institutions to start on-line teaching so that students may complete their courses within stipulated time and their session is not further delayed.

“Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath asked principal secretaries of higher education, vocational education, medical education, technical education and agricultural education departments to start on-line courses so that students do not suffer in completing their courses during lockdown,” Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi told reporters in Lucknow on Sunday.

He was briefing media persons about decisions taken by the chief minister during his meeting with Team-11 in Lucknow.

Awasthi said that the chief minister voiced concern over students losing out on their studies because of the lockdown.

“Therefore, all higher educational institutes should prepare an on-line facility for their students to complete their respective courses,” Yogi told the officials.

The chief minister appreciated the move of the Chandrashekhar Azad Agriculture University in Kanpur, which contributed a lot in on-line teaching of students and even made 250 contents and passed on over 4,000 study material through WhatsApp to the students. Besides, the university also prepared e-timetable for students.

In another important decision, the chief minister directed officials to make arrangements for the purchase of wheat from farmers at their doorstep on minimum support price (MSP) so that they did not have to go to mandis to sell their produce and expose themselves to coronavirus infection.

The government also suggested that private flour mills and other private companies could also purchase wheat from the farmers at their doorstep only on MSP.

“The chief minister clearly said that the farmers should not have any problems in harvesting and selling their produce. Already, around 40 per cent of harvesting has been completed in the state and to prevent any problem to the farmers, officials of Agriculture department should go to the farmers’ doorstep to purchase wheat or other produce, “Awasthi said.
In the meeting, the chief minister said that no public function should be held on Dr BR Ambedkar’s birth anniversary on April 14 or public celebration of any festival in the coming week.

“We have to ensure that people celebrate all functions in their homes during the lockdown,” he said.

Yogi also appealed to students, government employees and parents to download Arogya App, which has proved to be an important instrument in knowing about the status of COVID-19 cases in India.

He also asked officials to take stern action against hoarders and black-marketers.

The Excise department was asked to take action against bootleggers.
“There are reports that illegal brew is being prepared and sold. The department should carry out a three-day exercise to check the malaise,”  Yogi said.

Source: The Pioneer