HRD Minister Pokhriyal to address heads of 45,000 institutions online on Thursday during NAAC webinar

The Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' is all set to address the heads of whopping 45,000 Higher Education Institutions on May 28, at 3 pm, at a webinar organised by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). The minister will be speaking on the topic Turn challenges into opportunities: COVID-19 pandemic and measures to combat by Higher Education institutions of India.

"Interacting LIVE with 45,000 HEIs on May 28 at 3 PM via a webinar (organised by @NAAC_India). I will be talking about turning the challenges of #COVID19 pandemic into opportunities. Feel free to share your suggestion/query with me on @DrRPNishank (my handle) or @HRDMinistry," the minister tweeted. "At a time when a pandemic like Corona is causing distress to many in the world. We need to look for solutions to fight this crisis," he said in a video.

The minister had previously conducted webinars during the lockdown to address the concerns faced by the parents of students. Many academic activities including examinations, assessments and regular classes were postponed or suspended, owing to the lockdown. While a lot of institutions have pushed for online classes, teachers' and students' bodies all over the country have raised their voices against them.

The event will be coordinated by S C Sharma, Director, NAAC. One can register themselves for the event through www.naac.gov.in. They can also watch it live on the council's Facebook and Twitter handles. NAAC is an autonomous body under the UGC, which was set up to accredit higher education institutes in the country. It is headquartered in Bengaluru.