The Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister on Tuesday released eight-step digital education guidelines, Pragyata.

Meant for faculty and students, Pragyata guidelines cover plan-review-arrange-guide-yak(talk)-assign-track-appreciate steps for planning and implementation of digital education with examples.

“These guidelines on digital education are for school heads, teachers, parents, students and consists of recommended screen time for children, tips on coping with mental/physical stress during digital learning and more,” said Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, Minister of Human Resource Development.

They have been developed from the perspective of learners, with a focus on online/blended/digital education for students who are presently at home due to lockdown and provide a roadmap or pointers for carrying forward online education to enhance the quality of education, he added.

These guidelines place a cap on duration and number of online sessions in a day for students from Class I to XII. It recommends that for students from class I to VII, online synchronous learning may be undertaken for not more than two sessions of 30-45 minutes each on the days the States/UTs decide to have online classes for primary sections.

For class IX to XII, online synchronous learning may be undertaken for not more than four sessions of 30-45 minutes each on the days as decided by States/UTs.

“For school heads and teachers these guidelines describe the need assessment, planning and steps to implement digital education while ensuring cyber safety and privacy measures. It also outlines the support to be provided to students with special needs,” said the official release.

Main focus of these guidelines would be on balanced online and offline activities. For parents, the guidelines will help to understand the need for physical, mental health and well being along with the cyber safety measures for children at home.