Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: PRAGYATA Guidelines
Mains level: Limitations of Digital learning
Union HRD Ministry has released PRAGYATA Guidelines on Digital Education through online medium.
Practice question for mains:
Q.Discuss the impact of the COVID induced lockdowns on the education system in India. Give some solutions for it.
PRAGYATA guidelines
- The guidelines include eight steps of online/ digital learning that is, Plan- Review- Arrange- Guide- Yak(talk)- Assign- Track- Appreciate.
- These guidelines have been developed from the perspective of learners, with a focus on online/blended/digital education for students who are presently at home due to lockdown.
- It provides a roadmap or pointers for carrying forward online education to enhance the quality of education.
- The guidelines will be relevant and useful for a diverse set of stakeholders including school heads, teachers, parents, teacher educators and students.
- It stresses upon the use of an alternative academic calendar of NCERT, for both, learners having access to digital devices and learners having limited or no access.
Major highlights
The guidelines highlight 3 modes of online education:
The guidelines outline suggestions for administrators, school heads, teachers, parents and students in the following areas:
- Need assessment
- Concerns while planning online and digital education like duration, screen time, inclusiveness, balanced online and offline activities etc level-wise
- Modalities of intervention including resource curation, level-wise delivery etc.
- Physical, mental health and wellbeing during digital education
- Cyber safety and ethical practices including precautions and measures for maintaining cyber safety
- Collaboration and convergence with various initiatives
Recommended screen time
| Class | Recommendation |
| Pre Primary | Not more than 30 minutes. |
| Classes 1 to 12 | Recommended to adopt/adapt the alternative academic calendar of NCERT |
| Classes 1 to 8 | Not more than two sessions of 30-45 minutes each on the days |
| Classes 9 to 12 | Not more than four sessions of 30-45 minutes each on the days |
Guidelines for parents
- For parents, the guideline helps to understand the need for physical, mental health and wellbeing along with the cyber safety measures for children at home.
- Guidelines for physical health and mental wellness is stressed so that children do not get overly stretched or stressed, or get affected owing to prolonged use of digital devices.
- Also, it provides sufficient Dos and Don’ts regarding ergonomics and cyber safety.
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