A part of the syllabus could be covered online but completing the whole curriculum can become a challenge: Shreya

These are first-hand student accounts on how our young population is managing to keep their exam prep or college course work going from the confines of their homes. In case you want to share your lockdown study experience, write to us at publish@shiksha.com.

COVID-19 has tucked people into their homes and put a full stop to all our daily activities. Sitting at their homes, some are being productive while others are enjoying their long vacation. However, it has caused many problems in the education sector. With the examination period just around the corner and incomplete syllabus, this epidemic has adversely affected college education.

At D.A.V. College Jalandhar, the incomplete syllabus at the time of locking down turned out to be a serious concern. To overcome this issue, our college management initiated online classes from 28 March 2020 onwards. Professors have been using the Zoom app to conduct online classes in which they give lectures and clarify doubts of the students. The classes are being held as per the college time-table but only for those subjects in which the syllabus has not been finished yet.

Though there have been no major complaints, online education still cannot compete with the physical classrooms. For instance, sometimes the class is disrupted amidst an important topic due to technical glitches. Also, a part of the designated syllabus could be covered online but completing the whole curriculum can become a challenge.

Moving on to projects/assignments, these are rarely given by the lecturers.

Most of the time, notes are provided to the students for a better understanding of the topic. However, some teachers are conducting quizzes to ensure student's attention in the class and their clarity on the subject matter.

Speaking of labs, practical work is on hold. There are not sufficient amenities and enough convenience available to complete the task from home. Hence, it has been postponed until the lockdown is lifted.

Apart from the curriculum, my alma-meter also conducted a virtual competition "E-volve". The event was held on the 11th of April, 2020. It included the activities: creative cooking, article writing, poster making, best out of waste, best ways to stay at home, online presentation and slogan writing. Students submitted their respective entries via Whatsapp. The theme of this competition was "Save Mother Earth".

Overall, though this quarantine has decelerated our life speed, it has also introduced us to the opportunities of an alternative lifestyle.

About the Author:

Shreya Gupta is an undergraduate student at D.A.V. College, Jalandhar. She is bibliophilic and dreams to explore the unexplored.