School learning after Covid-19: Students, teachers try to move on

Marginalised people lost out during online classes; education quality suffered for all: NCERT survey

As many as 51 per cent school students found online learning difficult during two years of the coronavirus, said a state-backed survey last week. Suraj, 14, knows well the difficulty.

Suraj (name changed on request) returned to his school in Delhi--a joyous event he marked by celebrating his birthday along with his classmates. He cut a cake adorned with two candles reading "1" and "4", beaming as his friends cheered and congratulated him.

Birthday celebrations over, Suraj spoke about how his school’s shutdown in the pandemic affected his learning. "Attending school takes a lot of effort now. Learning has become