“COVID-19 has taught the community at large to break with the past and fight the challenges posed by the pandemic world with unprecedented vigour. It has induced remarkable changes in human behaviour. The majority has cooperated, collaborated and worked together for survival. The pandemic has compelled a vast multitude to share similar feelings of fear and agony being silent onlookers to a shapeless future. However, the pandemic has induced endless veneration towards doctors, law enforcement and essential service workers, who go to the frontlines of the battle against the disease while the majority strives to refrain from it.” –  Dr. Monojit Ray, principal and secretary, Barrackpore Rastraguru Surendranath College (West Bengal).

Barrackpore Rastraguru Surendranath College (BRSNC) was one of the first colleges in West Bengal to take its teaching-learning processes online when the Covid-19 induced nationwide lockdown was announced this March. A recipient of the EducationWorld Grand Jury Award 2019 for integrating cutting-edge technology into curriculum delivery and teaching-learning, BRSNC has ensured learning continuity of students  without hindering the existing class schedule during the ongoing mass closure of educational institutions. The BRSNC management takes pride in the fact that they have not received any complaints or grievances from students or their parents regarding their online education processes including online fee payment process and classes. The institution has been providing online classes by deploying existing digital technologies in the following ways:    

BRSNC Live: The college has developed its own digital online teaching platform BRSNC Live, an alternate to Zoom/Google classroom, to continue teaching their students. The college has been conducting regular online classes according to existing college routine. College also has its own LMS (Learning Management System) for the submission of assignments and MCQ question answers. They have also been sharing video lectures via YouTube to their students.

Online counselling service: The Barrackpore Rastraguru Surendranath College support group provides free online psychological counselling for the mental well-being of its students. The sessions are conducted through its internal quality assurance cell (IQAC) and psychology department with the help of their counsellor Dr. Moumita Basak, assistant professor of college. Students can email or WhatsApp with the copy of their college ID card to reach out for help. The college also regularly advices yoga and suggests balanced for food and nutrition programmes to its students, staff and teachers by sharing information on its website.