Colleges, schools, varsities to get virtual classrooms

The state government has decided to introduce “virtual classrooms” in universities, colleges and schools. State Finance Minister Amit Mitra said in the Assembly that the initiative has been taken to let students, even from the remotest part of the state, access information related to education and developments taking place in this sector across the globe. 

They will be provided high speed internet connectivity capable of handling live streaming of videos. There will also be facility for projection and audio system for better viewing of the facts. The project will come up at a cost of Rs 100 crore.  “This is one of the dream projects of the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee,” said Mitra.

Explaining the usefulness of the project, Mitra said that a student in a village does not get the opportunity to interact with an expert in a particular subject from the city. However, with the introduction of the e-classrooms, he or she can even interact with educationists and experts from educational institutions abroad. 

Partha Chatterjee, the state education minister, said  that e-classrooms will be set up in 732 state-aided universities and government colleges and 2000 secondary schools in the first phase. There will be two e-classes in every institution. As a result students do not have to suffer if the system in one e-classroom doesn’t function properly due to any technical snag.

When asked whether it would be possible to ensure high speed internet connectivity to every part of the state, Chatterjee said that is the reason why the “virtual classrooms” will be introduced in 2000 schools initially where the internet connectivity is available at present. The same will be introduced in other schools gradually, said Chatterjee.