How Covid-19 affected the education system of India and how the government and institutions coped with this challenge.

1. CHANGE IN THE INDUSTRY AND THE COPING
MECHANISM AFTER A PANDEMIC
EDUCATION INDUSTRY (INDIA)

2. INTRODUCTION
• The impact of pandemic COVID-19 is observed in every sector
around the world.
• Both the education sector in India and the world are seriously
impacted by this. It has triggered the world wide lock down,
having a really bad impact on students' lives.
• Approximately 32 crore learners stopped moving to schools /
colleges, with all educational activities halted in India.
• The outbreak of COVID-19 has advised us that change is inevitable.
It has worked as a catalyst for the educational institutions to grow
and opt for platforms and techniques, which have not been used
before.

3. OBJECTIVES
• To enlighten various measures taken by Govt. of
India for education sector during this pandemic.
• To highlight various positive impact of COVID-19 on
education.
• To enlist some negative impacts of COVID-19 and
make some effective suggestions for continuing
education during the pandemic.

4. INITIATIVES OF THE GOVT. OF INDIA ON
EDUCATION DURING COVID-19
• The Government of India has taken a variety of preventive steps to
avoid the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Union Government
announced a national lock-down of all educational institutions on 16
March 2020.
• The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and most state
governments and other educational boards postponed all secondary
and higher secondary school examinations due to outbreak of COVID-
19.
• As educational institutions remain closed nearly all state government
ministries have taken steps to ensure that the academic activities of
schools and colleges during the lockdown period are not hampered.

5. HOW ARE THE INSTITUTIONS COPING
• Looking at this challenge of shutting down colleges and schools,
the Government of India, as well as state governments and private
players have taken the necessary initiatives.
• The Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) has
made a variety of arrangements, including online portals and
educational platforms via Direct to Home TV, Radios for Students
to Continue Learning.
• Students are using popular social media tools like WhatsApp,
Zoom, Google Meet, Telegram, YouTube Live, Facebook Live, etc.
for the online learning system.

6. • Although the outbreak of COVID-19 has created many negative
impacts on education, Indian educational institutions have
acknowledged the challenges and have tried their best to provide
seamless support services to students during the pandemic.
• The Indian education system is given the opportunity to turn the
existing system into a new age.
• The lockdown has accelerated adoption of digital technology.
• It has provided a chance to develop new and improved
professional skills/knowledge through online learning in more
efficient and productive way.
• The digital India vision of the government is emerging as a vital
tool for solving the current crisis due to Covid-19.

7. POSITIVE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON
EDUCATION
• Educational institutions have shifted towards a hybrid mode of
study. It has encouraged all teachers and students to become more
tech-savvy.
• Rise in the use of Learning Management Systems has opened up a
great opportunity for companies developing and strengthening
learning management systems for the use of educational
institutions.
• Enhance the use of soft copy of learning material.
• There is a new opportunity for collaborative teaching and learning
to take on new forms. Collaborations may also take place amongst

8. • Rise in online meetings.
• The pandemic situation has led people to learn and use
digital technologies and has resulted in a increase in
digital literacy.
• Worldwide exposure, educators and learners have the
opportunity to interact with peers from around the world.
• Better time management.
• Students preferred Online and Distance Learning mode as
it promotes self-learning by providing opportunities to
learn from a variety of resources and personalised
learning as needed.

9. NEGATIVE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON
EDUCATION
• Educational activity hampered as classes have been
suspended and exams at different levels postponed.
• Most of the recruitment has been postponed due to
COVID-19, student placements may also be affected by
companies delaying on board students.
• Unprepared teachers/students for online education.
• Increased responsibility of parents to educate their
wards.

10. • As several students have limited or no access to the
internet and many students may not be able to
afford computers , laptops or supporting mobile phones,
online learning can create a digital divide between
students.
• The higher education sector has been significantly
affected. A large number of Indian students who are
enrolled in many universities abroad, especially in the
worst-affected countries, are now leaving those countries.
• Payment of Schools, Colleges fee got delayed.

11. SUGGESTIONS
• India should develop innovative solutions to ensure that all
children have safe access to learning during this time. Indian
policies must include different people from diverse backgrounds,
including remote areas, disadvantaged and minority communities,
for successful implementation.
• Immediate action needs to be taken to reduce the impact of the
pandemic on work prospects, internship programmes and
research projects.

12. • Many online learning platforms provide several programmes on
the same subjects with varying degrees of qualification,
curriculum and evaluation criteria. Thus, the quality of
programmes can vary across various online learning platforms. It
is therefore important to establish quality assurance frameworks
and quality standards for online learning programmes.
• Connection to technology and the Internet is a matter of urgency
at the present time. Digital technologies and the resources needed
must also reach out to the remotest and poorest communities in
order to make it easier for students to pursue their education
during the pandemic.

13. CONCLUSION
• While many challenges have emerged, different
opportunities have also evolved. The Government of India
and various stakeholders in education have discussed the
possibility of Open and Distance Learning (ODL) by
incorporating different digital technologies.
• It is time for educational institutions to strengthen their
knowledge and information technology infrastructure in
order to be ready to face similar situations.