Ranchi: With schools conducting classes online during the pandemic-induced lockdown, demand for electronic items like mobile phones, laptops and tabs witnessed an unusual spurt for sometime.
Ravi Khemka, a shop owner in Ranchi, said, “Sale of mobile phones saw a sharp rise soon after the first phase of unlock began. Around 80% customers were students and teachers. The trend continued for several months before it became normal.” Khemka said online sales were also high as people could avail lucrative deals.
Market sources said most parents opted for mid-range mobile phones ranging from Rs 8,000 to Rs 12,000. Another shopkeeper said initially they were not able to cope with the demand from students as stocks were limited. The sale of accessories like headphones and earphones also went up.
Sidhant Sinha, a student of Class XII, said, “Almost all academic activities this year were carried out on mobile phones. This will continue till physical classes resume.”
Shashank Shekhar, a senior teacher of Jawahar Vidya Mandir, Shyamli, said, “There is no doubt teachers had to upgrade themselves to take online classes. Although almost all teachers had android phones, several purchased new ones for smoother performance.”