Explain shortcomings in providing online education, HC tells TN govt and UGC

The Madras High Court on Tuesday directed the state government and the University Grants Commission (UGC) to explain the various shortcomings in providing online education to higher education students.

The court direction came when the first bench of Justice Sanjib Kumar Banerjee and Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy was hearing a PIL seeking a direction to the authorities to vaccinate students, especially the college-going ones, their teaching and non-teaching staff on a priority basis, against Covid-19.

The bench, before which the petition from Nervazhi Iyakkam Trust near here came up for a hearing on Tuesday, ordered the state and the UGC to respond to the plea and also to explain the various shortcomings in providing online teaching to higher education students.

Besides vaccination, the petitioner also said the UGC should address the various shortcomings in the online mode of education such as the challenges in providing internet and online access to all the underprivileged students and the impact on mental and physical health due to prolonged online classes.

The bench posted the matter for further hearing after four weeks.