Summer vacation was one of most-awaited time during my school days. When I reached college, study leaves replaced the summer vacations. All those holidays, however, had one thing in common – I knew that I could go back to my college at the end of it and hang around with my friends like I always used to. Today, students are dealing with a different sort of vacation. They are at home but do not know when they can go back to their classrooms. Somehow, teaching and learning are happening in the form of virtual classes, but ‘when will the colleges reopen?’ remains one of the most searched questions on Google.
During a global pandemic that demands social distancing, online learning may be the only available option to keep our students engaged with knowledge. However, remote learning is not for everyone. Even the fortunate students, those who have the comfort of a laptop, high-speed internet, and a room to study peacefully, are continually being interrupted by distractions after distractions. Checking WhatsApp messages, scrolling through Facebook and Instagram posts, watching random YouTube videos, the list will hardly get an end. On the other side, teachers who were comfortable with their ‘chalk and talk’ method are now struggling with virtual classes. Who knows, more than students, it might be the teachers who are asking Google this question, ‘when will the colleges reopen?’
Remembering those good old days and hoping for the come back of the physical classrooms, we have come up with our latest issue – College of the Year 2020. We have handpicked some of the best colleges in the country that have been providing excellent education by overcoming the challenges caused by the pandemic lockdown. On the cover, we feature Koshys Group of Institutions located in Bangalore, which has successfully used COVID-19 a catalyst to search for innovative solutions.
Stay safe, enjoy reading.