A #WebPolicyTalk series by the #IMPRI Center for ICT for Development (CICTD)
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the education sector and its stakeholders both personally and professionally, and the world has already started to embrace the new normal of online teaching and interactions. Even before the pandemic, research had shown that progress towards achieving universal education and learning had been not impressive across the world, and these extraordinary times have undoubtedly exacerbated these pre-existing challenges.
In this light, addressing issues of education especially amidst the current pandemic, and recommending and implementing actionable solutions should assume increased importance. With this background, the #IMPRI Centre for ICT for Development (CICTD) is carrying out a discussion series called The State of Education – #EducationDialogue to engage with experts on issues in the realm of education and technology.
The experts share their insights on the challenges and way forward, based on their work, experience, and research. The series explores the role of governance, corporations, civil society, the populace, and other actors in realizing the role of quality education in building an equitable society.

The #WebPolicyTalks are conducted via Zoom webinars and streamed live on Facebook. The event video is available on the IMPRI YouTube Channel, thereafter. A recording of the session is also available on the #WebPolicyTalk: Live at IMPRI podcast, on Spotify and Google Podcasts. An event report is published based on the deliberations and wider dissemination takes place through media coverage.
YouTube Playlist: The State of Education – #EducationDialogue
The audience is composed mostly of policymakers, practitioners, researchers, faculty, and University and college students across India and other countries.
The outcome of the deliberations is disseminated through various social media platforms and media outlets and is aimed at contributing to the future courses of action for policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and civil society organizations.
Below is the list of #EducationDialogue events, along with links to the relevant details:
#EducationDialogue – Events

Panel Discussion
Evolving Paradigm of Higher Education amidst the Coronavirus Pandemic
Date: July 29, 2020
Time: 6 PM
Panelists: Abdulla Rasheed Ahmed | Cliff Zintgraff | Sydney Freeman Jr | Manisha Priyam | Pankaj Mittal | Sachidanand Sinha | Saumen Chattopadhyay | Khalid Khan | Binay Kumar Pathak | Pradeep Kumar Choudhury
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
Media Coverage: Youth Ki Awaaz | Counterview
Special Lecture
Evolving Contours of National Education Policies in India – 19th, 20th and 21st Century: Transition, Constructs, Impact and Way Forward
Date: August 4, 2020
Time: 4 PM
Panelists: Sachidanand Sinha | Sohel Firdous | Saswati Paik | Sharmistha Mukherjee | Reena Kumari | Ruchika Singh | Anindita Dey
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
Media Coverage: Youth Ki Awaaz | Counterview


Making STEM Cities: Education Ideas and Strategies, for Policymakers to Students
Date: November 9, 2020
Time: 8:30 PM
Panelists: Cliff Zintgraff | Sachidanand Sinha | Sameer Unhale | Simi Mehta
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
Media Coverage: Youth Ki Awaaz
Panel Discussion
Strengthening Aarogya Setu App for Effective Tracing in the Winter Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Date: December 14, 2020
Time: 5 PM
Panelists: Ramanathan Ramanan | Abhishek Singh | Kazim Rizvi | Amit Dubey | Prerna Mukharya | Arjun Kumar
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
Media Coverage: Vocal | Youth Ki Awaaz | Medium | Daily Mail India | Nouw | Launchora | Tech Genius | Knowpia | Counterview

Distinguished Lecture
The State of Education Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic: Impact, Policy Suggestions, and the Way Forward towards New India@2047
Date: February 5, 2021
Time: 5 PM
Panelists: Madhav Chavan | Swati Jha | Saumen Chattopadhyay | Huma Masood | Chitra Jayanty
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
Media Coverage: Youth Ki Awaaz
Education, Employability & Employment: Understanding the Intersection
Date: February 27, 2021
Time: 4 PM
Panelists: Sudheesh Venkatesh | Prof Sachidanand Sinha | Prof Vinoj Abraham | Rashmi Singh | Dr Simi Mehta
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: Youtube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
Media Coverage: Youth Ki Awaaz | Counterview

National Education Policy: Looking Through the Lens of Repurposing Education Towards Thriving for Every Child
Date: April 6, 2021
Time: 4:30 PM
Panelists: Vishal Talreja | Sachidanand Sinha | Rukmini Banerji | Meeta Sengupta
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
Media Coverage: Youth Ki Awaaz


The Role of Emerging Technology in Social and Political Maneuvering: Challenges and Solutions
Date: April 20, 2021
Time: 6 PM
Panelists: Samuel Woolley | Simi Mehta | Arjun Kumar | Kashish Babbar | Chhavi Kapoor
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
Media Coverage: Youth Ki Awaaz
Panel Discussion
Strengthening CoWIN App towards Universal Vaccination
Date: June 16, 2021
Time: 5 PM
Panelists: Ram Sewak Sharma | Abhishek Singh | Amit Dubey | John Santosh | Surabhi Agrawal | Kazim Rizvi | Arjun Kumar
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
Media Coverage: Counterview | Youth Ki Awaaz | Daily Mail India


Reopening of Schools amid COVID-19: Challenges and the Way Forward for Children’s Education
Date: October 11, 2021
Time: 5 PM
Panelists: Prof Sachidanand Sinha | Piyush Prakash | Manushi Yadav | Suchetha Bhat | Meeta Sengupta
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: Youtube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
Media Coverage: Youth Ki Awaaz | Counterview
Education and Union Budget 2022-23
Date: February 5, 2022
Time: 6 PM
Panelists: Prof Sachidanand Sinha | Prof Mona Khare | Dr Protiva Kundu | Prof Saumen Chattopadhyay | Dr Y. Suresh Reddy
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: Youtube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
Media Coverage: Youth Ki Awaaz | Counterview

#EducationDialogue – Team

Prof Sachidanand Sinha
Centre for the Study of Regional Development,
School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi

Dr Simi Mehta
IMPRI, New Delhi
Similar events from #IMPRI sister Centers:
Education, Employability & Employment: Understanding the Intersection
February 27, 2021 | 4 PM
Speaker: Sudheesh Venkatesh
Panelist: Sachidanand Sinha
Details: Event Page | Event Report
Watch: YouTube | Facebook Live
Listen: Spotify | Google Podcasts
Media Coverage: Counterview.org

