*INDIA ONLINE!*

For whatever we have invested in our telecom and the digital systems since the days of Sam Pitroda, it was destined to be tested in full measure during COVID-19. India with the world have converged into a system, the adoption and the extent of the adoption of it, has been hotly debated for more than a decade. *The backbone of connectivity was to created – a total transformation in our living, ways we did business and the way the wealth was created and transacted.* It was to be a new ecosystem of education, learning and growth. It was not a variegated connection to internet at the whims and fancy of the network. *The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman is indicative of this journey.* When the access to internet is itself a challenge, how do we achieve India Online?

Classes Online has been a clarion call as we moved past the first weeks of the lockdown. *It was a challenge even in urban India, a stage beyond which nobody even attempted.* The ecosystem could have been built if the robust connectivity existed. The Digital India backbone was to transform into India Online. The Fiber Optic Network was to bring a paradigm shift in the connectivity landscape of the nation. *With large chunks of Govt. Schools outside the online education system, students have to learn through TV based teaching / learning.* Even where the education has gone online, adhocism is on full display. There is a desperate attempt to make it happen for free. With unwanted intruders getting into digital classes, the first few weeks have been harrowing. *From Cyber Security to standardised formats of multimedia course content, nearly all critical elements are missing.*

Education Online has found its own equilibrium, way below accepted levels anywhere. *Exams are being held on Google Forms and sincere teachers are running helter-skelter to look for better solutions.* Text based exams are very difficult to handle. *School managements have their own ways of handling change.* Even now mass scale school / board created video classes are not thought of. Results have been declared without a few exams conducted, marked on earlier performance. *It is for sure both a raw and non-objective deal.* When large scale online entrance exams have been happening in this country, why that cannot be held in the present context. *The mess in the current DU exams could have been avoided, when issues cropped up during mocks / testing itself.*

Can we not create robust systems? *When IT behemoths have brought cloud to the land, reeking connectivity does not add to our glory.* Waiting for sever connect and upload / download tasks give serious hiccups is a daily rigmarole. The initial time of GST implementation blues have found uncanny ways to bounce back in COVID-19, as the digital challenge is huge. *Broken Online will become our trademark, if we don’t create a Online Living Infrastructure, Services & Operations Protocol and make it happen.* Banking / UPI services have performed commendably. Work from home is trying to find its own roots. Certainly improving. New Normal has already become the normal. *COVID-19 seems to be a near permanent guest, only India Fully Online can provide some succour in this hard patch, we are all passing through.*

*BUSINESS LOGIC, ROBUSTNESS & TECH SKILLING CAN CREATE TRUE INDIA ONLINE.*
Sanjay Sahay

Have a nice evening.