The COVID-19 pandemic has forced universities, schools and other educational institutions around the world to shut down their campuses indefinitely and move their educational activities onto online platforms. These institutions were not prepared for such a transition and their online teaching-learning process evolved gradually. Though students considered online learning advantageous because of flexibility and convenience, there have been reports that the students prefer learning in physical classrooms to online education. The students feel that online education is stressful and affects their health and social life. Moreover, not all students have equal access to, and expertise on, digital technologies. Although these inequalities existed earlier, the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed this digital divide. Considering yourself as the Chairman of a Committee, constituted by the government, to suggest measures to improve the quality and accessibility of online education, answer the following questions: (a) What are the key ethical issues at stake here? (b) Highlight the principles and values that will guide your recommendations to the government. (c) Suggest measures to improve the quality and accessibility of online education in the country.

Issue at hand: As online education rose to prominence during the covid-19 pandemic, the glaring inequity in accessing digital medium has made the education process itself inequitable.

(a) Ethical Issues

1. Failure to provide institutional education to students in an equitable manner.

2. Commodification of education as those with resources can access classrooms with ease but those who lack resources are left to fray on its own.

3. Mental and social wellbeing of the students on account of increasing pressure because of online classes.

4. As internet and associated technologies are regarded as Fundamental Right as declared by Kerala High Court, the reach of such technology is limited to upper echelons of society. Going into the future which would be dominated by technology, this would be a further avenue of deep chasm.

(b) Principles and values that will guide the recommendation:

1. Equity - Poor and vulnerables should not be left alone to tread their own path.

2. Empathy and compassion to disadvantaged social groups such as women, specially abled etc. For example, if a household has one digital device, then it is generally seen that boy child is given on priority before girl child.

3. Education as a fundamental right ensured under Article 21 A of the constitution.

(c) Measures to improve quality of online education:-

1. Teacher training on the use of information technology tool.
2. School management should proactively help the students and teachers if they are facing any problem.

(c) Measures to improve accessibility of online education.

1. To reduce the digital divide, implementation of schemes such as Bharatnet, National Digital India Mission.
2. Providing poor and disadvantaged students with necessary tools for accessing online class.
3. Improving infrastructure of government schools and installing requisite information technology tools.