IIT Bhubaneswar switches over to live online streaming of theory classes to combat coronavirus

Bhubaneswar, March 22: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bhubaneswar has switched over to live online streaming of the theory classes to combat coronavirus scare in the campus. Director of the institute R.V. Raja Kumar said that the institute has taken proactive measures to prevent contact and spread of COVID-19. “”We gave options to the students to stay in the campus or go to their respective homes, respecting their wish made as per their safety and risk assessment in this crisis time. In the campus, all actions have been taken for safety and isolation and classes are continuing. The classes are video streamed live to the students including all those who have gone to their respective homes and staying in our hostels,” he said. As per an official communication by the institute the students can put their questions live through chat and same can be immediately answered by a teacher. “This is done to ensure that the semester of the students is saved, in the unlikely case of a prolonged crisis. The live video lectures can be taken by a student on a desktop or laptop or even on a mobile phone. The Institute is making use of Microsoft Teams software through which online lectures are being facilitated for students. Attendance is also being taken on-line through the system. Our students staying anywhere in the world can access the lectures. This will also help the students to save them from sickness due to isolation and subsequent suffering to academic pressure. The live classes are going on flawlessly with only some occasional minor issues. The institute requested the faculty to save the videos for further references by students. If any student faces any problem to access the live streaming, he/she can get the saved video link to watch the session at his convenience,” added the director. The Institute also observed the “Janata Curfew” in a spirited manner today inside its campus. Students, faculty members and other employees confined themselves to respective homes and hostels while nobody moved out except for only three construction technicians going out due to medical urgency.