INTRODUCTION
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought with it a profusion of unforeseen challenges. The inference of certified lockdown is bound to have a lasting impact on various sectors, particularly in the education sector. Due to prevention from the spread of coronavirus, States across the country have been forced to close the schools and educational institutions. This has an impact on more than 32 crore students in India. Since, 2nd week of March, State governments across the country shut down schools and colleges temporarily as a measure to contain the spread of novel coronavirus. It’s been two months when this lockdown has been started.
This is one of the crucial times for the education sector. Board examination, entrance tests of various universities, and competitive examinations among others are all held during this period. But on 15th April 2020, the Ministry of Home Affairs issue a notice laying down guidelines to be follow during the lockdown period. The Ministry has direct Institutions to adopt the concept of online education. So that no child can suffer due to this 2020 pandemic. But this move is beneficial for some schools and students of metropolitan cities; who can adapt this concept quickly due to digital infrastructure. But one with little or no access to digital infrastructure are facing problems.
THE DIGITIZATION
The world is now been a digital world with lots of inventions and innovations. But still, it is a factor of disruption in many countries. A country with the world’s largest youth population has now struck into an e-learning experiment of unrivaled scale and scope. The biggest concern with digital learning acceleration revolves around the digital divide. There are two types of teachers, firstly, from a well-funded school district and secondly, from the poor district, to see the digital divide work.
E-Learning has a positive influence on an organization’s profitability. It makes it easy to grasp the content and digest it. It results in improved scores on certifications, tests, or other types of evaluation. The higher number of students who achieve the ‘pass’ or mastery’ level.
Some students aren’t toting chrome books with digital lesson plans. Also some students don’t have broadband. Some students don’t have a home who are usually migrants or whose parents are laborers who send their children to government schools. The digital divide problem in education isn’t new, but it is magnified by COVID-19 pandemic and school closures. The biggest difference between physical schooling and digital learning is that; physical schooling provides structure, respite, and shelter which digital learning can never provide.
The Annual Status of Education Report of Rural, 2018 reveal that in 596 government schools belonging to 619 districts; only 21.3% of students had access to computers in their schools. The Government of India’s Ambitious Bharat Net program to connect more than 6 lakh villages through 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats or village blocks with high-speed Internet is also far from achieving its targets. As per April 2020 census; According to the Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL) website. The government has been able to roll out equipment to only a little over half of the target Gram Panchayats. Out of these, many have been reported to be non-functioning networks.
Even if it is assum that most people have access to mobile phones. Then what is the guarantee that they have internet connections or even have a Smartphone? Or if we assume this that they have access to the internet connections. But one cannot ignore the issue of lack of digital literacy. Now a day’s not only students need the laptops or computers or smartphones for their studies. But also their parents need them as well; because entire families have been confine to their homes due to lockdown, and they too are working from home.
RIGHT TO EDUCATION
Education as per the Constitution of India finds the entry in the concurrent list it is so. Because of the education of the primary standard is declared as compulsory for the children between six to fourteen years of age. The responsibility is given to the State and the Central Government to regulate the primary education among the children. It was so done because to make people aware of the value of education, especially to rural people.
The Constitution (Eighty-Sixth Amendment) Act, 2002, inserted Article 21-A “Right to Education” in the constitution of India establishing education as a fundamental right. This article allows free and compulsory education to all children of the age six to fourteen years in such a manner as the State may by law determine. Article 30 of the Indian constitution relates to certain cultural and educational rights to establish and administer educational institutions. It lay down that all the minorities whether based on religion or language shall have the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice.
Article 29(1) states “any section of the citizens, residing in the territory of India or any part thereof having a distinct language, script or culture of its own, hall has the right to conserve the same”. And Article 350B provides the appointment of a special officer for linguistic minorities to investigate all matters relating to safeguards provided for linguistic minorities under the constitution.
Article 15, 17, 46 safeguards the educational interests of the weaker sections of the Indian community. That is, socially and educationally backward classes of citizens and scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.
The Court rightly directed that accessing the internet by an individual is a fundamental right and is a factor that directly affects the right to education and access to knowledge, which is also protected under the right to privacy which is a part and parcel of the right to life and personal liberty under Article 21.
CASES
The Supreme Court in the case of MohiniJain vs. the State of Karnataka enunciated that; the right to education flows from the enforceable right to life and personal liberty guaranteed by Article 21 of the Constitution. As there could be no dignified enjoyment of life, or the realization of other rights, without adequate education.
In UnniKrishnan J.P. & Ors. Vs State of Andhra Pradesh & Ors., the Apex Court observed that the parameters of the right to education must be understood in the context of the Directive Principles of State Policy.
MEASURES TAKEN
However, it remains unclear as to which ideas will see the light of day as the urban-rural education gap. Further widens amidst the looming COVID-19 crisis. The solutions which Government took towards those who do not have access to the internet. A few measures have been taken which includes broadcasting of teaching through Doordarshan and All India Radio.
It still creates a question mark, that if such media shows effectiveness. Then also it cannot be compared to either physical classrooms or even online classes, it is so because it’s obvious that if a child will learn or study the doubts will raise and how they will clarify their doubts that’s the biggest question. It’s the biggest advantage for upper class or metropolitan cities to easily have access to online classes and learn effectively but it’s not that easy for children of Government schools or children of migrant workers.
It’s an advantage to enhance the knowledge and learning skills for those who have internet access as children can learn from the videos which their teachers use to share, college students who devote most of their time on doing internships or participating in certain competitions. Even schools and colleges not only taking online classes but also involving children in many effective webinars to enhance their knowledge. Students cannot only attend live sessions of their classes but also can see recorded sessions as well so that they cannot be left with any doubts.
CONCLUSION
Digital classes are indeed effective for many but it is still a distant dream for many. A large population of students in India are severely disadvantage by this reality. It was the problem before COVID-19 also but it never got that much importance as other matters got in India. COVID-19 has brought to for the fact that the right to the internet is indistinguishably link to the right to education. E-learning has a positive influence on an organization’s profitability. Due to the wide set of benefits, it gives to students; eLearning has become quite popular and appreciated among students all over the country. But the only issue that remains is that students with no digital infrastructure are going one step back to their education as per ones who have that advantage. I hope that it will not take too long until we face another pandemic.
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