the emphasis is on the attainment of better learning outcomes using eresources while students are at home due to covid19with the alternative calendar for students at the higher secondary level being released by the minister of human resource development ramesh pokhriyal nishank the aim of ncert has been to direct teachers on the use of various technologicalsocial media tools to educate students while they are at home due to covid19teachers are advised to interact with the students not just for online classes but also through social media such as google hangouts google meet and whatsapp to assign them tasks and keep them fruitfully occupied during the lockdown says hrushikesh senapaty director ncert while talking to education timesthose students without internet access can take recourse to television channels such as kishore manch on swayam prabha channel where lessons are being transacted live for students at the primary secondary and higher secondary levelsoutlining ncerts recent approach senapaty says our focus has shifted from content mastery to competency mastery which is why the emphasis is more on the attainment of learning outcomes using different eresourcesthe calendar he adds suggests the use of textbooks not necessarily ncert but also those recommended by state governments additionally it provides links to various resources available on epathshala national repository of open educational resources nroer and diksha platforms comprising audio video and other interactive materialswe expect children to engage in multifarious activities such as essay writing drawing and project work while they are at home rather than mindlessly watching television or spending long hours in online classes students in the higher classes can collect resource materials for their project work that can be assessed once the lockdown gets lifted senapaty saysthe focus he adds is on students holistic development and innovative potential through activitybased learning keeping this in view we have suggested some physical activities such as yoga and indoor games to address their mental health concerns ncert has enlisted 270 counsellors who are constantly interacting with the students from across the country free of cost a similar interaction session can be witnessed on kishore manch where counsellors address students mental health issues over a half hour period from 500530pm senapaty says the calendar will also cater to the needs of especially abled children for which talking books on epathshala have been providedthe calendar will cater to the needs of all children including divyang children children with special need link for audiobooks radio programmes video programmes etc will be included sic hrd minister had tweeted in a similar vein while adding that it will empowerstudents teachers school principals and parents to deal with the covid19 crisis more effectively