New Delhi, March 21: The Ministry of Human Resources and Development (HRD) recommended students to tune into the programmes broadcasted by Swayam Prabha channels to expand their knowledge. The recommendation for students comes amidst the outbreak of coronavirus, which has led to the closure of educational institutions across the nation. Pupils at home-stay are advised to reap the opportunity by learning through Swayam Prabha, the Ministry said. Catch all the live updates related to coronavirus outbreak in India and other parts of the world.

Swayam Prabha is a group of 32 DTH channels dedicated to the telecasting of high-quality educational programmes on 24X7 basis using the GSAT-15 satellite. Schedule of programmes could be checked on the official portal - swayamprabha.gov.in. The content is sourced on daily basis from various educational boards and curriculum-designing bodies. The network is aimed at inculcating the spirit of education among the students and promoting self-learning in them.

"SWAYAM Prabha telecasts high-quality educational programmes 24X7 with content from NPTEL, IITs, UGC, CEC, IGNOU, NCERT, and NIOS every day. So what are you waiting for? Maximize your time at home & expand your knowledge! (sic)," the HRD Ministry said in a poston Twitter.

See HRD Ministry's Tweet

All examinations across the nation have been postponed till at least March 31, whereas, schools, colleges and universities including the IITs and IIMs have been closed down due to the spread of coronavirus. Students in hostels were also instructed to return back to their homes.

Coronavirus, which was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on March 11, is spreading at an alarming pace in India as well. By the time this report was published on Saturday, the total number of infected cases had surpassed 270, with Maharashtra being the worst affected with at least 63 COVID-19 positive cases.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 21, 2020 05:57 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).