COVID-19 : Impact on Student’s and how to Utilize the Lockdown time well. By- Vishwajeet K. Ashish

On March 24,2020 Indian Prime Minister announced a three-week nation wide lock down to contain the spread of Coronavirus in the Country.

The lockdown has already disproportionately hurt marginalized communities due to loss of livelihood and lack of food, shelter, health and other basic needs. The global impact of coronavirus is immense as educational institutes all over the world. COVID-19 has thrown education all over the world in a loop. Schools, Colleges are shut, and students are stranded at home. As per the present situation , there is an uncertainty when schools and colleges will reopen.

Month of March is considered to be the month of examination. This is a crucial  time for the education sector- Board examinations , nursery school admissions , entrance tests of various universities and competitive examinations, among others are all held during this period.

It would have impact on the continuity of learning for more than 310 million young learners in India but also engender far reaching economic and societal consequences.

The structure of schooling and learning, including teaching and assessment methodologies, was the first to be affected by these closures. Only a handful of Private schools could adopt online teaching methods. The low-income Private government school counterparts, on the other hand  have completely shut down for not having access to E- learning  Solutions. The Pandemic has significantely disrupted the higher education sector as well, which is a critical determinant of a country’s economic future.

Universities and Higher education institutions have instantly turned to conducting virtual classes, online assignment submissions and teacher- student interactions. Classes at schools , colleges and universities are now being conducted online.

The dynamics of a Physical class are diametrically different from conducting virtual classes, but Professors have pitched in enthusiastically and innovatively so that the challenges posed by the Pandemic continuous education can best be minimized.

A multi-pronged strategy is necessary to manage the crisis and build a resilient Indian education system in the long term.

As, the nation goes through an extended period of staying at home, this is the best time to enhance ourselves and take a deeper look within.

What Student’s can do to utilize the lockdown time well :

1. Read Book’s of your choice–This is that sort of book where if you read bits and pieces over thirty days, you may not feel what it is. You must read as much as possible in one sitting so that it goes into you and sits in you like a lump; then you slowly digest it. When else would you get 2-3 weeks uninterrupted just to sit and read. This is a very good time to do it. Mortality is staring us in our face.
2. Improve Yourself a Little bit every day– Physically, just set up small goals for yourself for the next few weeks. What kind of smile you had when you were six, eight or ten years of age.  See if you can get fifty percent of that back on your face all the time. Not by simply grinning a plastic smile but by bringing that magic back into you.
3. Support at least two under-privileged people in your community– one of the main concerns of this virus in India is about the poorest of the poor, the daily wage workers. Fortunately, the union government has come out with an elaborate package to support the farmers, workers and constructions workers for three months. At least it means that this segment of the population need not be driven towards starvation. Still there would be people who will fall through the cracks. It is only the community that can step in to help them. I urge everyone, wherever you are, we must take a commitment that we will not all starvation to be the basis of suffering and deaths.
4. Staying Exuberant not depressed– Corona is making it very clear to you how fragile human life is, that an invisible micro-organism can end our life and disturb everything that we have built. There is already enough trouble outside let us not make our live miserable . Let us not become the source of trouble. To be joyful , exuberant and a support for everyone around us is most important right now.
5. Take care of your health– Create a routine to pace yourself. Get some fresh air, Listen to the experts, stay up-to-date but limit your media exposure, Take care of your body . Take it one day at a time and focus on the positives.