The Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry has directed IITs to form a task force to ensure placements are not affected due to situation arising out of COVID-19, news agency Press Trust of India quoted officials as saying. The ministry has also asked the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) to Include psychologists in task force to address mental health challenges faced by students during lockdown.
Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal today chaired a meeting through video conference with the directors all 23 IITs to review the preparedness of institutions in wake of COVID-19.
The minister has also asked the institute to prepare academic calendars so that students do not lose summer and winter internships.
"A task force call for placements may be set up in institutes to liaise with various companies to ensure that adequate placement not below the levels of past years may take place in these institutes. Academic calendar of the institutes may be prepared so that students do not lose summer and winter internships," Mr Nishank told the IIT heads.
"Mental health-related challenges of students during the lockdown period also need to be addressed by all the institutes and a helpline be established in this regard. There should be a task force set up by every institute which should include psychologists to handle mental health issues," he added.
The institutes are closed and exams suspended due to the nationwide lockdown in view of the coronavirus outbreak that has claimed 38 lives in the country till now.
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