The National Institute of Technology (NIT) Durgapur has found that 45-50 per cent of its BTech students cannot attend online classes because they either don't have a computer or live in places with poor Net connectivity.

The institute had asked students about their access to technology at present to figure out how effective online classes and, maybe exams, could be. The lack of last-mile connectivity came to the fore from what they said, institute director Anupam Basu said.

The institute started seeking feedback after several students complained they were unable to attend online classes, which the institute had started after the announcement of the lockdown.

“We are trying to make an assessment based on the information we have received from students over the past fortnight. Approximately 45-50 per cent of the students are unable to attend online classes as they don't have a computer or they are in places that have poor connectivity,”

Basu told The Telegraph on Sunday. “A lot of our students come from remote villages in Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh… they suffer from this problem of last-mile connectivity.”

The NIT is a central institute where half the students are from Bengal and the rest from across the country.

An institute official said the survey had been conducted to determine if the ensuing semester exams could be held online. The end-semester exams are held between April and May. “Since half of the students are unable to attend online classes because of this problem of digital divide, it would not be feasible to hold exams online.”

Basu said that the institute would hold an online meeting with officials this week to discuss how the exams could be held. “While discussing that, the feedback received from students will be shared.”

The institute has been mailing study material and assignments to those who can access computers but are unable to attend online classes because of poor Net connectivity, an official said. “This will help in their preparations. They are free to be in touch with teachers over phone to clear their doubts.”

Basu, a professor of computer science and engineering at IIT Kharagpur who is on lien to helm the Durgapur institute, had flagged his concern over last-mile connectivity and the resultant digital divide coming in the way of online classes in an article he had written for Metro on April 10.