Like other educational institutions, skill and vocational training schools too have moved classes online, canceled campus activities and events, and restricted libraries and other facilities. Students who are worried about the future as they will enter a precarious job market after the coronavirus scare will end. We would suggest they should start preparing early for final papers and exams and take advantage of videoconferencing tools to conduct group study sessions and feel less isolated. Offering online learning, virtual learning platforms, or other education practices can help institutes to connect with students without any potential health risks.

— Dr Narendra Shyamsukha, Founder & Chairman, ICA Edu Skills

Due to coronavirus pandemic, more than 85 countries have closed universities nationwide, impacting more than 776 million  students. The education space since then, has undergone a scale from stoppage to continuity in online mode not only in India but also around the world. Despite the shutdown of colleges and universities, many students are willing to study and the best way for both students and teachers is therefore, to rise to the occasion, migrate to teaching — learning through digital platforms like AWS Educate, Google classroom and WebE. At IIIT Naya Raipur, our faculty members  have adopted Google classroom to  help in maintaining the continuity of education. Yet, problems arise when it comes to evaluation and examination  of assignments using online platforms but then, the teachers must choose the best platform to provide online education to the students, this will help the students stay at home safely without hampering their studies and precious time.

— Dr Pradeep Kumar Sinha, Vice Chancellor & Director, IIIT Naya Raipur

At a time when students cannot go to their classes because of the nationwide lockdown due to coronavirus pandemic, classes can actually come to them. Unknowingly, this virus has somehow paved the way for making the ed-tech scenario in India robust. Slowly, India is shifting to online learning. The Kerala Government, one of the severely affected states of India, has even announced to provide extra bandwidth across the state for online learning. This process of learning has its own benefits but it is necessary it is done with full concentration. It is important to assign a dedicated study place for this where nobody can disturb you. Although the Universities are still contemplating this option, it is the need of the hour to flatten the curve and minimise the spread of this pandemic without running a shining future of students.

— Dr Pankaj Gupta, President, IIHMR University

The adverse effects of COVID-19 has been all-encompassing, and higher education cannot be an exception. Enrollment slowdown or stoppage, resulting out of lack of mobility owing to a nationwide lockdown, would negatively impact universities and other education institutions as well as students. To combat this, many uiversities are planning to implement on-line learning services for their students to ensure most minimal interruption in their learning process and assessments and examinations can be conducted maintaining academic standards. Being used to teaching face-to-face, we need to take into cognizance that many teachers may not be geared enough in the first instance, to deliver the learning in this new method. It is imperative, therefore, that the entire teaching faculty is trained on how to prepare online content as well as how to deliver them, so that there is uniformity in the treatment of the learning delivery from the institute. Similarly, many students may not be in a position to receive such online education, depending on their own competency levels and access to technology. Students should, therefore, be similarly trained on how to absorb such learning.

— Dr RL Raina, Vice-Chancellor & Director, JKLU