Kolkata: The Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology (MAKAUT) has started holding online classes for its students in the wake of the closure of university till April 15, as a precautionary measure to prevent spreading of COVID-19. "We are using Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform, Learning Management System and video conference technique for the virtual classes. Apart from the classes, the performance assessment is also being done in online mode with the AI-based platform that we have developed," said Saikat Maitra, Vice-Chancellor of MAKAUT. The cloud-based system enables the teacher to take classes from their respective residences. Students have already been handed over their respective routine for the virtual classroom. On average a student is attending three classes of 45 minutes duration each. The virtual classroom system at MAKAUT has been existing for some time and the basic infrastructure was already there. "We have strengthened the infrastructure and we are hopeful that there will hardly be any inconvenience to the students with this forced lockdown at home," a senior official of the university said. The university for the last few months was making preparations to go for virtual classroom facilities in case of any emergent situation so there was not much difficulty in the switch over process. The university has several online courses for which the basic infrastructure for online mode study was already in place. "Our internal tests are already conducted online and we will soon develop facilities so that semester examinations can be held online," said Maitra. The university authorities are sending the online link of the virtual classes to the students who fail to attend the online classes due to internet problem. The university has already provided training to teachers and students so that they can easily cope up with the AI-based virtual classroom concept. "There is a login system for attending the virtual classes and the attendance of students will be evaluated based on this login mode," the official added.

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