COVID-19 impact: MHRD wants universities to study how India handled 1918 Spanish flu pandemic

The Ministry of Human Resource and Development asked universities to study how India handled the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918 and the measures the country took to boost the economy.

The Ministry of Human Resource and Development asked universities to study how India handled the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918 and the measures the country took to boost the economy. The ministry also advised the universities to set up research teams and study the levels of awareness the villages near their campuses have regarding the novel coronavirus.

According to the reports, while communicating with the universities, a senior ministry official stated, “The HRD minister has desired that universities should study how India handled the 1918 pandemic (H1N1 Virus) and what measures were taken to boost the economy after the pandemic.”

He further added, “It has also been desired that universities and institutions in India should study 5-6 villages adjoining or adopted by them regarding best works done in response to COVID-19. The study can be around what the awareness levels in the village are and how they withstood various challenges posed by COVID-19.”

The HRD Ministry also urged and encouraging academic institutions to come forward and make research contributions to aid India’s fight against the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Union Health Ministry, the total novel coronavirus cases in India rose to 27, 886. Meanwhile, the deadly virus claimed 880 lives so far. Whereas, on the positive side, around 6,500 people have recovered.  

The pandemic adversely affected the education system of the country. Millions of students are forced to study from home due to closed academic institutions and suspended classes amid COVID-19 lockdown imposed in order to control the virus spread.

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