National Education Policy must incorporate a framework to respond to COVID-19 like contingencies in future: ABVP
A 26-point memorandum of suggestions in respect of the education sector reforms presented to the Prime Minister. Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad presented a 26-point memorandum of suggestions in respect of education sector reforms to the Hon’ble Prime Minister and requested him to incorporate a framework in the National Education Policy for methodical response to COVID-19 like contingencies in future.
The memorandum presented to the Hon’ble Prime Minister highlighted the adverse impacts of the pandemic on the country's education sector and also apprised him of its present state of affairs. It must be mentioned that ABVP, by way of its digital contact program, initiated on 11-12 May 2020, reached out to 8,68,618 students across the country and solicited their views on the emerging challenges in the education sphere along with suggestions and solutions regarding the same. Many of such recommendations were included in the memorandum presented to the Hon’ble Prime Minister.
Some of the suggestions advanced through the memorandum were adoption of various modes for conducting examinations, formulation of inter-university transfer guidelines during similar pandemics in future, age and attempt-related relaxations for aspirants preparing for competitive examinations, insurance policy for students, promoting distance learning, establishing more academic and career-related counseling centres for students, digitization of education and upgrading of digital infrastructure in educational institutes, providing diverse, interactive and platform independent e-learning resources, arranging for courier of study materials to areas having low internet penetration, directions for effective physical-distancing measures in educational institutes, ensuring that offline examinations are scheduled only after the resumption of seamless transport facilities, providing placement and internship opportunities to pandemic-stricken students as well as ensuring timely disbursal of scholarship amount and relaxations in thesis submission deadlines for research and doctoral students.
