ISRO Satellite TV Classrooms to bridge learning gap in schools amidst pandemic

Indian Space Research Organization(ISRO) has decided to take a big step in helping the Indian government. Recently, ISRO has announced that it will help the government in implementing satellite TV classrooms for school students. In implementing the government's plan of providing better education to students, ISRO's role will be to provide technical assistance for satellite TV classroom implementation. Government has taken this step aiming to bridge the gap in education caused by COVID-19 situation in India.

Parliamentary standing committee on ISRO's role

On 2nd July 2021, ISRO presented a proposal in front of the parliamentary standing committee. ISRO in the proposal gave special emphasis that it is absolutely ready to provide satellite rights to states. This will accelerate the process of launching satellite TV classrooms. The proposal also had this clarification that facilities will only be provided to those states which are willing to use the technology. As per media reports, “Scientists from ISRO attended the meeting on July 2 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.” It is to be noted that the meeting held was attended by the education secretaries and senior officials of five states, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Telangana and Arunachal Pradesh.

Advantage to students

With ISRO participating in this initiative, students can freely take advantage of satellite TV classrooms. This will solve one of the biggest problems that teachers and students are facing in online classes that is network issue. This will also solve issues of smartphone and data connectivity.  With this thoughtful initiative, ISRO is all set to bring a revolutionary change in the present Education System or the mode of education in the country.

On June 21, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education decided to take the help of ISRO scientists to implement satellite TV classroom in the country. It was to bridge the learning gap due to COVID-induced lockdown in the country. The panel discussed issues concerning the content and design of school textbooks and plans to bridge the learning gap arising out of the prolonged shutdown of schools due to the the pandemic.

A panel member said, "The majority of the panel members of the committee has decided to take help from ISRO for the satellite TV classroom. As Odisha and Gujarat have already started. Students, especially from the rural areas can take advantage of bridging the learning gap due to pandemic."