Dr.S.Ganesan
Regional Director, IGNOU
Earlier, we are all familiar with the word ‘lock-up’, used in police department. Now, we have all practically understood the real meaning as well as practice of lockdown. The words lockup and lockdown are not opposite words. There are few more words with suffix ‘down’, for example: shut-down, break-down, scale-down, count-down, block-down, chalk-down, pen-down, etc. Having crossed over 40-days of lockdown period, most of us are waiting for the re-opening day, like school children. Normally, after long summer vocation, the school children go to school, with lot of fresh energy, to meet all his / her friends. A similar feeling is now applicable to many of the office-goers, shop keepers, general public etc. It is a common phenomenon to enjoy the re-union moment with happiness. The longer the gap, the bigger is the enjoyment; a ‘positive’ correlation exists.
Every one of us now talks about the statistics of positive cases, in our daily conversation. In general statistics, the Gaussian bell shaped curve (normal probability curve) represents the fad-in and fad-out effects. In other words, the increasing trend (going-up) to reach a peak point and decreasing trend (count-down) from the peak point. Once the peak is reached, it is expected to follow the fad-out process naturally. Are we not yet crossed the peak? Time will give answer to the question. Let us wait till such time, with extension of lockdown period.
As the count-down is approaching, the lockdown after-effects will give us real challenges. One such challenges is – rush / crowd management. We have to identify the possibilities of crowd in every sector / operation, to manage it efficiently. Rush is expected for hair-cut, air (tyre) pressure check-up stations, petrol bunks, bus stand, airport etc. To handle the visitors / distance learners of IGNOU, at regional centre office, the following steps are planned:
• The reception counter table size will be increased to one meter breadth, so as to maintain the social distancing forever.
• The visitor chairs in the officers’ room will be removed to avoid physical (hand) touch on office furniture. (touch-me-not approach)
• The students will be encouraged to call / e-mail the RC, instead of visiting RC office.
• The students will be kept at ground floor (extra-support) counter and will facilitate to talk to staff (at second floor) over intercom ‘speaker’ phone only. Phone instrument will only be operated by RC staff.
• Hand-free tap arrangement will be made at the entrance of the RC building.
• Leg push- pull force will be used to open /close the doors, wherever possible. (again, hand-free concept)
• The RC website will be updated more frequently (more than once in a day) to communicate with students. Mostly, the email replies will direct the students to visit site.
• Course-wise time table will be prepared, to control rush of students, at warehouse and study centre.
• More and more ICT based platforms will be used for tele-classes, even after lockdown period. Face-to-face teaching activity will be reduced gradually. (scaled-down)
There are many numbers of technologies / gadgets already available for specific need of physically challenged persons. Such items / strategies can now be used for our present hands-free operation(s) and touch-me-not process(s) to maintain social distancing. Let us all innovate more and more new approaches for our healthy safe life, without affecting our daily office operations & functioning. The ICTs shall continue, even after lockdown period, with extensive utilization at high frequency. Present extension of lockdown period shall be spent constructively, with sharp focus on social distancing practices. Let the countdown start to start.
