GUWAHATI, May 19 - In the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, the Assam government has asked colleges and universities to take up appropriate awareness programmes among students, including classes on basics of virology.
The recommendations came in a new set of guidelines issued to institutions of higher education.
�Appropriate awareness programmes, classes on basics of virology, management of viral bases of epidemic, usefulness of sanitization and physical distancing may be formulated and taken up at all levels of academic institutions,� the guidelines said.
The educational institutions are closed since mid-March and classes are being held through online modes in many of them.
The guidelines further said that once the situation permits conducting of classes for two to four weeks, both theory and practical, the semester-end examination of the ongoing semester should be ensured. �Online exams, online evaluation and assessment, and also online admission, etc., may be preferred. Also, truncated curriculum for the adversely effected semesters may be drawn by removing the note learning portions,� the guidelines stated.
The universities have been asked to formulate truncated syllabus and initiate award of grades, marks and promotion based on continuous evaluation and online MCQ (multiple choice questions).
All the institutions have been asked to set up a �Students Academic Grievance Redressal Cell� during the pandemic.
The guidelines further said immediate measures are essential to ensure continuity of learning in colleges and universities.
Open source digital learning solution and learning management software should be used by teachers for conducting online teaching.
�As most of the faculty members are accustomed to traditional pedagogy, intensive training for them to be given for use of modern technologies in imparting education,� it said, recommending some approved platforms of online education.
The universities and colleges have been asked to arrange make-up classes, special classes, remedial classes for weaker section and also those who could not avail the online facilities effectively, it added.
The universities can also formulate ways for return and joining of research scholars following a roster system of 30 per cent.
