Interested students are allowed to take part in online debates and moot court competitions: Teresa, CNLU

In a recent conversation with Shiksha, Teresa Dhar talks about her college and how they are tackling the current situation, keeping the students busy with course work from the confines of their homes. In case you want to share your lockdown study experience, write to us at publish@shiksha.com.

Q: Are there online classes being conducted? If yes, how effective are these? With what frequency are these held? Are they sufficient to cover the designated syllabus?

A: Like most colleges, Chanakya National Law University is conducting online classes. However, the classes are not being held for all subjects. For example, the 3^rd year students have only their Jurisprudence classes while the 1^st year students have their Transfer of Property and Management classes. 5^th year students have classes on Human Rights and for other subjects, handouts are being provided via mail. The 2^nd year students have only Economics. The classes are being held at regular intervals and not daily. That in itself cuts down on the effectiveness as the biggest advantage of an actual classroom is the continuity; and interaction and dialogue between the teacher and the students which might be difficult to coordinate and pull off through online classes.

Attendance is an issue since it can’t have complied through online basis. However, our teachers have used the Google Moodle site and can ensure attendance as well as a completed assignment from students. As is the case with every online class, students tend to slack off and the pace at which the teachers are teaching is not enough to cover the designated syllabus if the original dates of examination are kept in mind.

A lot of factors are kept in mind such as accessibility of internet data by both teachers and students, and equipment to conduct the online classes.

Classes can be deemed to be more interesting due to the power-point presentations and other unconventional methods of teaching generally not used. Also, study materials and handouts being given are a constant and hence, is not an issue. However, the efficacy of drawing the attention of students or ensuring the prohibition of proxies can be said to have been curtailed definitely.

Q: Are you given projects or assignments to work on from home? What is the number of online submissions required to take place?

A: Since we already had project submissions and presentation before the lockdown, it hasn’t been an issue. However, for the students who haven’t been able to submit or present their project, they will be given a chance to do so, post reopening of our University. However, some of our faculties wanted to take projects via mail and presentations online, that dream is yet to be realized.

As for the assignment part, the faculties who are conducting online classes, to engage better with students, are posing questions and are asking us to research as part of our assignment to be submitted to the faculty via the moodle site. For each lecture generally, a minimum of two assignments are being given but the quantity of assignment depends on the faculty concerned.

Q: How is the college making up for any lab/practical work? If at all?

A: Practical or lab work is pretty much non-existent in any year except for 5^th year students whereas a part of their curriculum, they have moot courts or 4^th year students who have Drafting, Pleading and Conveyance as a subject in their syllabus. These subjects can’t be conducted or conducted efficiently as it requires a conventional classroom atmosphere.

For the rest of the students of other years, mooting, debating, youth parliament and other similar co-curricular activities, which are optional, have been put to a halt. However, interested students are allowed to take part in online debates and moot court competitions.

Q: Anything else the college is doing in these times that is noteworthy that you would like to draw attention to?

A: Since the lockdown has made taking classes impossible, our University is to be lauded for taking the initiative to conduct online classes, providing study materials to students and continuously trying to engage with us on whatever forum or method possible. Importantly, our faculties are to be appreciated for their dedication to ensuring that students stay safe and yet, don’t waiver in their interests in academics.

About the Author:

Teresa Dhar is a third-year student pursuing BA LLB from Chanakya National Law University.