Possibilities and challenges of online education in India during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The undergraduate and postgraduate studies of colleges and universities in India have been affected badly amidst the lockdowns for COVID-19 pandemic. The government has insisted to start the academic activity through online platforms. The biggest concern for the academic institutions now is to select an appropriate e-learning platform. This paper compares different features and facilities available in some widely used online platforms and analyze their suitability from the perspective of socio-economic constraints of students in India. A generic framework for conducting online classes is described that meets the special requirements of the unprivileged students. Some strategic plans to overcome the challenges are identified and suggested. A technical solution for implementation of time-bound assessment module is also proposed.