Besides being teachers, Manvi Manisha Tigga, Sharmistha Mandal and Vivekananda Daripa have another thing in common.

They, along with many other colleagues, have recorded video lectures for Johar Pathshala, an online class initiative available on YouTube for free that aims to provide interested students learning materials for making up academic losses caused by the closure of schools because of the coronavirus-induced lockdown.

A brain child of Manish Ranjan, who took over as the divisional commissioner of Kolhan in July, the initiative covers the syllabus of Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) for Classes IX to XII.

“Though the video lectures are based on the JAC syllabus, they cover the same books published by the National Council for Education Research and Training (NCERT). Hence, they will be helpful for all students following those books,” Ranjan told The Telegraph from Chaibasa on Wednesday.

He said they have already put Johar Pathshala on a trial run on Tuesday.

The intention is to get feedback from the students and improvise the videos if required before it is formally launched shortly, he added.

“We have recorded about 180 video lectures in the past 50 days and will add about 20 more, covering the entire JAC syllabus,” Ranjan said.

They have also added subject-wise notes in PDF files, model questions and career guidance for motivating students to choose a career like civil services or others.

“Those teaching in schools in three districts of the (Kolhan) division — East and West Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharsawan — have recorded these videos on their respective subjects,” he said.

The videos on career guidance were also recorded by qualified persons, he added.

Md Javed Hussain, an IAS probationary officer at Chaibasa, has recorded a video on civil services as a career.

Asked what motivated him to introduce the online Pathshala, Ranjan said, “While perusing a course at Barkley (in the US), I realised how the students got quality materials there. I then thought of doing some such thing for our students who can’t even afford the tuition fees.”

As the director of primary education in the state education department earlier, Ranjan was also involved in writing and publishing text books for the students.

“So far as accessibility of reading materials and guidance are concerned, there exists a rich-poor divide as only the rich can afford to buy such materials and join good coaching classes,” Ranjan said.

He said the Johar Pathshala would be helpful for schoolgoing students from humble background wherever they are.

The ongoing pandemic has also forced suspension of classes and these videos and notes will help the students to make up the losses to a large extent, he said.

“We have also provided a column so that the students can send their feedback on the videos and we’ll surely try to improvise those if needed,” he added.