JNTU-Hyderabad planning to work for new session of academic year 2020-21

With the State government granting permission for commencing the academic year for the engineering courses from August 17, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University-Hyderabad (JNTU-H) is working on two modes of instructions, i.e., online classes and blended learning.

Given the prevailing situation arising out of the Covid-19 pandemic, the authorities are favouring virtual classes for the intermediate semester students. Before starting virtual classes, the university has decided to instruct its constituent and affiliated colleges to hold webinars on any given topic. The webinars for students, according to the authorities, will help the colleges in rectifying any shortcomings, if any for conducting online classes.

The JNTU-H has already successfully completed conduct of the viva-voce for the final-year second-semester students of the various BTech and pharmacy courses online during the lockdown period.

According to the revised academic calendar 2020-21 issued by the All India Council for Technical Education, the classes for existing students of the technical courses except for postgraduate diploma in management and a postgraduate certificate in management courses should commence from August 17. So, the university authorities have decided to extend these online



classes for the pharmacy, MBA and MCA among other courses too.

The blended learning mode which includes online classes and in-person instructions is also being examined by the university. This option will be implemented only if the situation is conducive and government permits for reopening of the educational institutions in the State.

“At least for the first two months, we want to hold the virtual classes. As most students in engineering and other courses either have laptops or smartphones with internet connectivity, attending online classes is not a big problem for them. We have already conducted vice-voce for final year students successfully. The option of blended learning is also on the cards but this will be implemented only if government permits,” a senior official said.

For the conventional degree courses such as BA, BSc and BCom, the Telangana State Council of Higher Education (TSCHE) is planning for digital classes.

According to authorities, digital classes through recorded videos will be made available to students on a dedicated YouTube channel besides they will be broadcasted through Doordarshan Yadagiri channel, T-SAT channels and other local cable networks. Yadagiri channel, T-SAT channels and other local cable networks.