HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal is interacting with students LIVE on national television. (Representational image)
Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank in a discussion on a national television channel answered queries raised by teachers, students, and parents. He has taken up some of the most frequently asked questions on social media including CBSE board exam rules to college-level online exams. From reaching out to economically backward students during lockdown to reopening of schools.
In a major announcement, the minister said that the results of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) class 10, 12 exams can be expected by July-end. The board will hold the remaining class 12 papers in the first two weeks of July. The exams will be conducted from July 1 to 15.
He also said that the ministry is aiming to reach every student and efforts are being made to impart lessons through different modes including TV and radio. He also talked about new guidelines to be followed by the reopening of schools and colleges as well as addressed NIOS DElEd related queries.
HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal live on national television
HRD informed that every university and college has been asked to create a COVID task force which will take up coronavirus related issues of students. Further, the UGC has also created a centralised helpline and a grievance redressal portal. Students or teachers who are facing any issue can access the helpline at ugc.ac.in/grievance/login_Home. Stakeholders can reach the dedicated helpline at 011-23236374 from 10 am to 5 pm or email for support at covid19help.ugc@gmail.com.
The college exams will be held in July, as per the UGC guidelines. In case the situation does not improve till then, then the intermediate year students will be promoted to the next class based on internal assessment and for final year students, 50 per cent marks can be graded on the basis of the pattern of internal evaluation adopted by the universities and the remaining 50 per cent marks can be awarded on the basis of performance in previous semester, the minister informed by stating the UGC guidelines
The UGC has issued detailed guidelines for colleges. For the students who are already enrolled the colleges will be open by August and for the new batch, the classes will begin in September, he reiterated.
On a question, if the push to online education would affect the publishing houses, the HRD Minister said that replacing the traditional model is not the idea behind the digital push. Even as the ministry is aiming to continue the online education even after the lockdown to provide unified and quality education in this new sphere as well but we are also running programmes to encourage students to stay connected to their roots, he said while explaining by taking an instance of 'My book, My friend' campaign. He added that books are indeed the best friend of man and can never be replaced.
I have urged IITs, NITs, and IIITs not to hike fee for the upcoming academic year. I am constantly in touch with state education ministers and state finance ministers to ensure that schools do not hike their fee. However, I also understand that private schools have to pay their bills and salaries to teachers. We are communicating and trying to find a solution to the problem, the HRD minister said while replying to the question on school fee.
How can a student be morally motivated and be able to find answers even in the most difficult of situations is the aim of manodarpan. We will try to motivate them and encourage the students, said the minister. This too was launched by the FM recently.
e-Vidya launched by the finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman channel for dedicated every class of the school. There will be dedicated content for differently-abled students. We are planning to provide one common platform for the one united India, he informed.
The New Education Policy (NEP) which is coming after 33 years will focus on India and the regional aspects of India. It will have knowledge, technology and will become the foundation of the new India we all have aspired to become. We have taken suggestions from the highest of educationalists to those from the gram samitis, grassroots of India, and incorporated all in the policy, the minister said,
The minister said, that the ministry is making all efforts to ensure that students who are unable to go abroad due to the global pandemic can turn back towards the national institutes. He said that the Indian education system is robust and students will not have to go abroad for their studies anymore. He added, "I have tweeted to reopen the JEE Main application forms again for foreign aspirants and we will make other moves to ensure that our students can achieve quality education back home"
We plan to reach to every student. To reach students who do not have access to the internet or TV will be taught through newer means. I believe that TV is common in every household, we are providing Swayam Prabha for these students, said HRD Minister. We are also planning to deliver lectures through radio as well. He had earlier urged people to allow a student from an economically weaker section in their society to watch the tv channel for the hour corresponding to their class.
There are 33 crore students and including parents, it becomes 99 crore and all of these are curious about when will school reopen and how will these function. We have yet to decide on the re-opening dates but have asked NCERT to create a framework on how to re-open the institutes. UGC is also creating a framework for higher education institutes. The health of students is our top priority so we are yet to decide on the exact dates
The evaluation process has already been started for the board exams and will continue to be held simultaneously with the pending exams. He said that the board is trying to bring out the result “soon and efforts are being made to declare the result by July-end itself.” It is noteworthy that exams will conclude by July 15. Read details
The HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishak in a question-and-answer round held at a national television said that the Central Board of Secondary Examination (CBSE) pending board exams will be held in students’ own school to ensure the least travel for them. He added that exams will be conducted amid strict norms of social distancing. Read details here