Ask channels to give free TV time to states for educational broadcasts: Punjab minister to Centre

Punjab Education Minister Vijay Inder Singla on Wednesday suggested the Centre to direct all the TV channels to provide a free of cost two-hour time slot per day to state governments to broadcast lectures.

Singla gave the suggestion in a video conference with Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Minister for Communications, Electronics and Information Technology, and Law and Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad, an official statement said here.

He suggested that all the TV channels, including government, private and news channels, under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 be directed to provide a free of cost two-hour time slot per day to state governments for educational broadcasts.

The education minister described this as the need of the hour to compensate for the loss of education hours due to the lockdown imposed to contain the spread of coronavirus.

He said as the Disaster Management Act, 2005 is imposed in the country, the central government has all the rights reserved with it.

The education minister said Punjab should at least be provided four dedicated channels of Doordarshan to broadcast lectures for various classes.

The channels should be made available at least six hours a day followed by a repeat broadcast, he said.

Singla said all telecom companies should be directed to provide free internet service to achieve the target of providing free online classes and wider reach to the poor.

To ease anxiety and stress levels of the students preparing for remaining board exams, he said class 10 students should be promoted based on their pre-board results and internal assessment, while class 12 students should be allowed to complete their examinations as early as possible.

The Punjab School Education Board has already issued orders for printing of books, the minister said.

Out of the 1.6 crore books required, 70 lakh books have already been printed, he added.