ISRO gives nod to parliamentary panel for satellite TV classrooms

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Friday gave its nod to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education to provide technical assistance for satellite TV classrooms in the country to bridge the learning gap due to COVID-induced lockdown.

ISRO scientists have appeared before the Parliamentary Standing Committee for Education on Friday and made a detailed presentation about the proposed satellite TV classroom for students. 

“Scientists from ISRO attended the meeting today and made a presentation about the use of satellite TV classrooms for the students before the officials of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) and Doordarshan,” sources told ANI.

Meanwhile, ISRO scientists emphasized that the organization is ready to provide satellite rights to states to start satellite TV classrooms but asked if the “States will be willing to use the technology.”

Vinay Sahastrabuddhe-led parliamentary panel had earlier sought help from ISRO scientists to provide technical assistants to start satellite TV classrooms for students who reported a learning gap in the school syllabus due to the COVID pandemic.

Education secretaries and senior officials of five states including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Telangana and Arunachal Pradesh also attended the panel meeting.

Parliament sources told ANI that Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are planning to reopen schools for classes from 10 to 12 in the coming days and for this, they have prepared an SOP. Both the states apprised the panel members regarding this in the meeting.

The Committee explored satellite TV classrooms that will broadcast school-based educational programs and students can take advantage of it in cluster classrooms and the issue of smartphone and data connectivity can be resolved, especially in the rural areas.

Members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports will be on a five-day visit to Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir in the next week. Around 30 members of the panels can take stock of the ground reality of schools, colleges, universities and sports complexes that are affected due to the COVID pandemic. ANI