IT News
Imphal, May 28:
As a part of Fit India Movement, the Fit India Campaign Committee and Fit India Club, Manipur University have been conducting various activities with local cable operator local TV as media partner. As a part of it, Virtual Series of National Talks has been conducting during this Covid-19 Second Wave Pandemic. As the second Virtual Series of National Talks, today a lecture has been given by Prof. Ganga Prasad Prasain, Vice Chancellor, Tripura University, Agartala on the topic “Management of Academic Institutes during Pandemic”. The programme has been conducted with Dr. Laishram Santosh Singh, Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, M.U. as Convenor, Prof. Th. Ratankumar Singh, Department of English & Cultural Studies, M.U. as Moderator and Prof. M.C. Arun, Head, Department of Psychology, M.U. as Co-Moderator.
Dr. L. Santosh Singh, convenor, FICC and FIC, MU, Canchipur welcomed all the panellists including the Speaker of the day and participants. Prof. M.C. Arun, Head, Department of Psychology, M.U., Co-Moderator of the session has introduced the speaker of the day, Prof. Ganga Prasad Prasain, Vice Chancellor, Tripura University, Agartala and thereafter the programme has been conducted by Prof. Th. Ratankumar Singh, Moderator of the Virtual Series of National Talks of the day.
The lecture covers various aspects like management of health facility within the campuses of the Academic Institutes, i.e. university campuses, academic management of the universities, role of university under Corporate Social Responsibility, Economic issues of parents and families of students and its consequent role from the university authorities, Post pandemic Management of Academic Institutes and at last the Lessons learned from the Pandemic for Future.
With regards to management of health facility with the campus, he stressed on the need for procuring adequate equipments, medicines, non-medicine materials needed to face the pandemic. Oxygen cylinders, 24×7 ambulance facility, Special Isolation centre, vaccination of university community members, etc. should be arranged. Prof. Ganga Prasad Prasain also stressed on maintaining academic calendar by conducting online classes to complete the syllabus on time and conducting online examinations as we can’t exactly say when the pandemic will be over. Timely reporting and monitoring of online classes should be done. Colleges of the state should conduct online classes. Issues of difficulty in adapting with the online teaching apps by the faculties, non-availability of internet networks in some remote and hilly areas, frequent power-cut and inability of the poor students to acquire smart-phones and laptops, etc. should also be addressed. He also mentioned that for Ph.D. thesis evaluation and viva-voice, it should be done through online by coordinating the Controller, concerned Dean, HoD and supervisor as since July 2021 only Ph.D. degree holders will be eligible for applying Assistant Professor Posts.
With regards to Corporate Social Responsibility of universities, adoption of villages and providing awareness and supports in fighting Covid-19 pandemic should be initiated. Blood donation programme by the university community mainly through NSS units should be taken up. Regarding economic issues of students’ families, there may be need of providing concessions on tuition fees, examination fees, hostel fees, etc. for the poor students or for all students as an university policy. Focus should be given to counselling of university community members even after the pandemic. Either psychologist can be hired or faculties of Psychology department of the university should be asked to provide counselling to students, staffs and faculties during and after the pandemic. Regular morning Yoga classes will be of great benefit to relieve stress and strengthening immune. The lessons that we have learned from this pandemic should be utilised in keeping a very healthy environment within the campus. Along with pollution free environment, water bodies in the campus should be maintained well.
The second Virtual Series of National Talks has been concluded with the speaker answering satisfactorily the questions put up by the participants and thanking Prof. Ganga Prasad Prasain for sharing his thought provoking ideas on the topic by the Moderator and Convenor. Convenor also requested all the participants to take part in the next session to be held on 29th May, 2021 at 11am., on the topic “COVID – 19 Vaccination”.
