Modern technology has largely relieved people during lockdown. For security system, technology has simplified all the tasks like keeping an eye on the area, office meeting, children's education and purchase of household items. Even from the Center to the State Governments, all their meetings, training of paramedical staff, preparation in hospitals and review of various areas have been taken online. Social media channels, skype for video conferencing, various apps including zoom, are being used in private sectors, while the National Informatics Center (NIC) is providing online and other online facilities including multivideo conferencing to the central and state governments.
Teaching through online classes
During the first phase of the lockdown across the country, schools first grouped children on WhatsApp and put them on a platform and then started teaching through videoconferencing apps running on smartphones, computers, laptops and tablets. There are two reasons for schools to do this, first, that children should not be away from studies and during lockdown the time should be utilized by the child and the teacher teaching them.
Along with teaching children in online classes, homework is also given. However, taking online classes for teachers in the initial phase was not less than a big challenge. But the teachers who have connected with the current technology from smartphones, soon learned how to teach children in online classes. According to experts, this is an opportunity for children and teachers to learn and teach something new. The summer holidays of schools will begin in the second week of May and the lockdown will last till May 3. In such a situation, the effort of schools through online classes is not to let the children fall behind. However, the school for young children is connecting with family members through WhatsApp and giving them primary education documents to complete daily, as more young children understand online classes as games.
Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal (Ramesh Pokhriyal) has asked for suggestions from the people under the 'Online read in India' campaign to make online teaching even better. The Education Minister has asked everyone to give suggestions related to improving online education within a week. These suggestions have been sought especially from those who are associated with online education. The Education Minister has essentially sought suggestions from institutions, experts and students imparting online education.
Online technology in government meetings
The central government has made technology a weapon to provide education, medicine and food at home. Currently all the meetings, which are taking place between the central and state governments. The NIC conducts them through multi-videoconferencing, these meetings have taken place several times during the lockdown period between the Prime Minister, Chief Minister and top officials. Apart from this, the Health Minister, Home Minister, Foreign Affairs Minister and all the officials of the Central and State Governments are executing the work through technology at various levels. Through telemedicine app, one can consult a doctor only by meeting at home, while in the red zone areas, state governments have started providing food items through online app and phone calls. Overall, in this era of lockdown, people across the country have been greatly facilitated by modern technology.
Announcements of the immediate government become public among the people through social media. But on many occasions it has also come to the fore that misinformation confuses people. However, since the strictness of the government, incidents of mischievous elements spreading rumors and posting false information on social media have reduced. While the work of providing accurate information to people through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and WhatsApp has been done on a large scale. Whereas, all the apps of social media have emerged during the biggest means for entertainment. At the same time, business persons are easily running the business by connecting online in the country and abroad. Likewise, the combination of smartphone and Internet is providing all-round relief to the people during lockdown.
Indians were not attached to modern technology in a day. It is important for you to know that in the era of ongoing competition between telecom companies, there are 51 crore smartphone users in the country due to the cheapest internet date in the world. According to a joint report by industry body ASSOCHAM and PWC, the number of smartphone users is registering an average growth of 12.9 per cent annually. According to the report, in the year 2017, there were 46.8 crore smartphone users in the country. This figure is expected to increase to 85.9 crore by the year 2022. Similarly, in the year 2017, the number of feature phone users was 70.1 crore, which is expected to come down to 50.4 crore by 2022. An annual 6.4 percent decline in feature phone users is being recorded.
Demand for video on demand is increasing continuously in the country. The Video On Demand (VOD) market in the country will be the biggest beneficiary due to the lowest data tariff and increasing penetration of smartphones. The tablet is also a major device for the VOD industry. However, in 2017, the penetration of the tablet in the country was only 5.3 percent, which is expected to increase to 10 percent by the year 2022. In this, television has been said to be the major factor for entertainment and media industry, saying that in 2017 there were 133.14 crore television sets in the country, their number is expected to reach 220.03 crore by 2022. It is increasing by 10.6 percent annually. However, globally this growth rate is only 1.4 percent. Describing television as the most affordable device for content consumption, it has been said that it is the most popular source of entertainment in rural areas.
