Online Learning and Quality of Higher Education: A Comparative Analysis from Chhattisgarh

Abstract

This study has revealed a growing gap between level of higher education in public and private universities due to introduction of technological means as essential teaching aids. In India, the most serious issue is money of the necessary devices. Cellular data is not available even if gadgets are available. The biggest sticking point for government universities is enticing users to study online classes. For most students, online education has been a hardship due to a complete lack of a smart phone or internet access. Putting the state of Chhattisgarh under scanner, it has been observed that the quality of education in higher educational institutes varies markedly amongst government and private universities. This study analyses the issues and concerns that exacerbate the disparity between private and public institutions and measured quality of higher education. Striking distinguishing features such as classroom infrastructure, teacher quality, extra-curricular programs, and more may be visibly detected. While technology can be advantageous, it can sometimes be constraining, particularly in tribal states like Chhattisgarh, where basic access is limited. Not every student has access to a computer at home or to high-speed internet. Most students are apprehensive about their future as they failed to properly attend even a single online lecture because their parents could not afford the expense, plus streaming technologies appeared to be a significant financial strain. Other challenges beset both students and faculty in this mode of education. On the one extreme, private institution have seamlessly sustained online classes, whilst government universities have gone off the rails.