Page 39 - Issue 01

COVID-19: IMPACT AND

LESSONS LEARNT

JAI MOHAN PANDIT

The COVID-19 started in India in the beginning of 2020. The subsequent lockdown announced by the
Government of India on March 24 impacted the education sector like any other sector for which no one,
more so the education sector, was unprepared. The entire organisational functioning of the Higher
Education Institutions (HEIs), such as; student admission,teaching/research,conducting examinations,
academic administration, campus maintenance, student learning support systems including the library and
IT facilities, campus safety, and security measures, were re-engineered with a paradigm shift.

IGIDR was prompt to take immediate action and decided to send the student’s home. For several HEIs, it
was the Holi / spring break, and few students were already on vacation. The promptness and the HEIs
proactive actions saved several lives and resulted in overcoming a lot of hassles. IGIDR allowed some of the
students to stay back, realising their practical problems. We ensured necessary hostel stay arrangements,
including the food, safety, and hygiene issues. By the time lockdown was announced, the majority of the

students had returned home safely.

Despite the numerous challenges, most HEIs, particularly the national HEIs located in the metros and
cities, quickly geared up to meet the pedagogy challenges, experimented with novel methods, and achieved
adorable success in the process. IGIDR had dealt with it by being very agile, and agility was vital even
before the government announced the lockdown.Some of the HEIs initially had to face many challenges,
which resulted in delays and even cancellations of several academic programs, including exams/admission

tests, etc.

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