Coronavirus Impact: Manipur University Begins Virtual Classes

Due to the ongoing coronavirus lockdown in the nation, various educational institutes have been shut and most of them have resorted to online classes. Manipur University has also followed suit and has started conducting virtual classes for the students. The Registrar of Manipur University, Professor WC Singh asked all the students and teachers on April 2, 2020, to download and install Zoom app or Zoom Cloud meeting on their laptops and phones to attend online classes. Students had to also provide their email ids to the respective departments.

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Though conducting classes online is the only viable option now considering the present circumstances but it comes with its own set of challenges. Professor Basanta Sharma, Head of the Physics Department mentioned that teaching a science subject online is more difficult as compared to other subjects. For science subjects, one needs to draw diagrams, explain scientific theories with the help of mathematical calculations. He further said that the time slot allocated to him is just 40 minutes but it has to be extended to one hour due to technical glitches and disruption in live streaming and sound. Many students have also complained of net connectivity issues especially for those who are staying in hilly or rural areas.

Head of Chemistry at the University, Professor O Mukherjee said that when it comes to subjects such as Physics and Chemistry, online teaching cannot compare to the level of satisfaction in humanities because Physics and Chemistry require explanations based on diagrams, mathematical calculations, formulas and molecular structure.

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However, a professor of Mass Communication and Journalism department said that the online classes help students and the teachers engaged during the lockdown and also keeps the students involved in their studies.