Govt to introduce e-classrooms

TT, Calcutta, June 24: The Mamata Banerjee government has decided to introduce "virtual classrooms" with high-speed Internet facilities in universities, colleges and schools across the state.

Finance minister Amit Mitra announced the Rs 1,000-crore project in his budget speech today.

"With the objective of providing modern knowledge and the latest research to our students, I propose to introduce 'virtual classrooms' in our educational institutions in a phased manner," he said.

According to him, each such classroom will have a high-end computer with high-speed Internet connectivity capable of handling live streaming, a projection facility and an audio system for accessing educational material within and outside the country.

"I propose to introduce two e-classrooms in each of the 732 state-aided universities and government colleges and 2,000 secondary and higher secondary schools in the first phase. The scheme will then be gradually rolled out in other schools," the finance minister said.

Education minister Partha Chatterjee said the endeavour was the chief minister's brainchild, as part of the government's e-initiatives.

"We wanted to increase the use of information technology for better learning in our educational institutions. The decision to implement the vision of virtual classrooms will revolutionise education in the state," he said.

"The classrooms will enable presentation of audio-visual education material and live streaming of lectures and discussions," Chatterjee added.

He stressed the importance of students in the remotest parts of rural Bengal getting access to eminent teachers and educationists from around the world.

"In the first phase, such classrooms will be made operational by the end of November. All institutions that are part of the scheme have been asked to act promptly for its implementation," the education minister said.

In an order passed on June 22, the government asked the director of public instruction to implement the project. The order asked the director of public instruction to ensure standard hardware specifications and a centralised distribution mechanism for it. State-aided universities, however, will be allowed to procure the necessary infrastructure on their own.

The model of implementation drew criticism from some quarters for alleged lack of transparency in the process of purchase.

Biswanath Chakraborty, professor of political science at Rabindra Bharati University, said there was "abundant scope" for favours in awarding contracts for the hardware equipment.

"In any such initiative, it is always advisable to give the institutions grants for the specific purpose rather than opting for a centralised distribution mechanism. The institutions should be allowed to make their own arrangements, according to set parameters, from the grant," he said.