UoH to provide Digital Access Grant to students to access online classes

Hyderabad: As the University of Hyderabad (UoH) is gearing up to start online classes, the varsity has announced that it will provide Digital Access Grant to help students who cannot afford to buy the necessary hardware required to access the classes.

UoH is all set to start online classes for over 2,000 Masters' students from 20 August. The varsity has said that the mode for conducting online classes would mostly be asynchronous. While only a few classes will be held live, the administration will provide students compensation to afford data packages to assure accessibility. Vice-Chancellor P. Appa Rao said, “We have re-purposed our previous UOH Students' Assistance scholarship to Digital Access Grant so that students from underprivileged backgrounds can afford the hardware needed for online education.”

The university has formulated an Academic Task Force led by Professor Vinod Pavarala that has been working to convert course syllabus online ever since academic activities were hindered by the pandemic-induced lockdown. “We have been working to understand the needs of students and faculty members and are willing to be flexible about the mode of education as per students' feedback. We will not leave out a single student,” Prof. Pavarala said.

He further said the UoH Alumni Association is willing to help out those in need of financial assistance to access online classes.

The university is currently experimenting with its e-learning system and the faculty members are also being trained for the same. The varsity administration further said that they will conduct entrance examination from 24 to 26 September. The V-C said they will be utilising infrastructures to their full capacity to ensure social distancing at the exam venues. The exam will be conducted at 38 centers across the country. This comes after the Supreme Court on Monday gave a nod to the National Testing Agency to conduct JEE and NEET entrance examinations.