Govt allows universities to start online courses, but where is the infra?

Issue of quality control in this mode of teaching-learning, faculty development programmes and student placement are key hurdles in the move towars this form of education

The government has announced plans to allow 100 top universities to launch online courses, but there is no clarity on how these universities would roll them out. On the contrary, there are many uncertainties and ambiguities about the proposed online courses, in addition to bigger questions on the readiness of digital infrastructure for both the students as well as the universities.

The fifth tranche of the Rs 20 trillion Covid-19 economic package, part of “Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan" (Self-reliant India campaign) was unveiled by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on May 17. This included many initiatives directed towards education, under the Pradhan