M Venkaiah Naidu, the Vice President of India, today asked universities and other educational institutions to harness fully the power of technology to ensure continuity of academic calendar during the lock-down period due to Covid-19 pandemic.

Interacting with the Vice Chancellors of Delhi, Hyderabad, Pondicherry, Punjab, Makhanlal Chaturvedi Universities and Director of the Indian Institute of Public Administration through a video conference, Naidu observed that it might take some more time for normalcy to return and enquired about their plans to cope with the disruption caused by the pandemic.

The Vice President, who is the President of IIPA and Chancellor of three universities, urged the institutions to reach out to students, promote collaborative learning and self-learning. He wanted them to optimally utilize technological tools for ensuring interactive learning for all students.

Observing that the adversity caused by coronavirus was forcing people to search for creative solutions, Naidu appreciated the universities for taking adequate steps to ensure that the teaching-learning process was not hindered. Stating that online courses would supplement face-to-face learning, he said “this might become the new normal after we tide over the current crisis”.

The Vice President also emphasized the need for universities and educational institutions to take measures to safeguard the health of students residing in hostels. He urged them to ensure strict adherence to social distancing and isolation instructions given by the government and health experts.

Advising the students to follow healthy dietary habits, undertake regular physical exercise and avoid a sedentary lifestyle, Naidu also emphasized the importance of living with nature.

He also urged the universities to guide the students to utilize the time meaningfully and take advantage of the e-learning materials offered by them. He also wanted the students to spend less time on mobile phones and learn new languages during the lockdown period. Besides, they should also spend adequate time with family members..