Outreach S2S (Support to Stranded Students)
7th April 2020
India's soft power running faster than COVID-19. 1 hr for need assessment 3 hr to develop and Launch portal. More than 16,000 users in 24 hrs. 80 institutions participated in zoom meeting. All India Council for Technical Education & Terre Policy Centre in action. 'Social Distancing with Closeness of Mind'
A much-needed internet tool for supporting poor, needy and stranded students in the midst of the lockdown due to COVID19 has been launched by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) April 4, 2020.
Within two days of the video conferencing between TERRE Policy Centre, Pune and AICTE on need assessment, the experts from AICTE got into action to enable the Support to Student-S2S portal which was launched by India's Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal.
Marginalised and weaker sections of the society always suffer the most when the crisis unfolds. Many among the school, college and university student community in India, known as the most diverse and dispersed segment of youth in the world, were caught in nationwide lockdown since March 25.
Many were stranded in hostels and rented accommodation or at home separated from their alma mater. There was urgent need to support them and re-connect them to their family, schools, colleges and meet their urgent personal needs including psychological support.
On April 1, the need assessment video conferencing was held under the guidance of Prof. Anil Sahasrabudhe and participation by Chairman AICTE, Rajendra Shende, Chairman of TERRE Policy Centre, Prof Joe Thomas , expert in public health from MIT WP University and Rajas Khobragade , President of Republican Student Federation
Based on the priority agenda 10-point assessment that emerged from the conference, the website https://helpline.aicte-india.org was tested and launched within record time of one day on April 3 with the expertise of Buddha Chandrashekhar, Chief Coordinating Officer, AICTE and student interns Shivanshu and Akash of Graphic Era University.
"I appeal to all social, cultural, voluntary, philanthropic organizations and foundations to pitch in and support this noble cause at such a crucial juncture in the history of mankind", said Prof Anil Sahasrabudhe, Chairman of AICTE.
AICTE and TERRE Policy Centre have joined hands through partnership agreements aimed at developing smart solutions for the education on sustainable development through a Smart Campus Cloud Network-SCCN. The website-portal essentially connects those students who are in need to those who are willing to provide help. The nature of support includes accommodation, food, on-line classes, mentoring, queries on examinations, admissions, scholarships, health, transport and harassment. More than 6500 colleges have already come forward to provide support at such a crucial juncture.