The Observer Vol 21, Issue 20 by IIJNM Bangalore

The Observer An IIJNM publication

Karnataka’s education sector still struggles to adopt the new normal of online teaching | P 2

Vol. 21, Issue 20

Tuesday, February 22, 2022

Couldn’t attend online classes for many reasons By Swarali Bodas

Prospect of offline examinations has students worried

tudents in Bengaluru are worried as universities have decided to hold mandatory offline examinations, reports Saumyangi Yadav. Apart from their physical health, they are worried about their mental well-being after VTU and other colleges made offline examinations mandatory. Ever since VTU announced offline exams, the students have been protesting online, flooding Twitter with calls for help. But the VTU authorities have not listened to these pleas. Professors and college authorities say they are helpless as they do not have the freedom to make independent decisions. ►Details on page 2

Autism is a development disorder in which a person has lack of social and communication skills. They have the age-appropriate motor functions but not enough social skills | Courtesy: pexels.com cess to online classes. ther of us was always with Krishna Bhanushali, Devik’s him...Since we both joined our ofmother, informed The Observer: fices in May 2020, he couldn't “Devik’s father and I joined our learn without the help of an adult offices in May and hence there around him,” she added. was no device on which he could Devik missed his daily routine. attend his online classes.” “(I) liked going there (to school) Autistic children need someone before the deadly coronavirus hit around when they are learning. our country. Now I am at home. “When we worked from home, ei- Mom says schools might open for

us in July, so I am waiting. Online classes aren’t fun,” he said. A study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, said changing routines of people with ASD, especially children, cause major problems. Covid-19 and the shifting of everything online, including education, was a major challenge not only to children with ASD but also their parents, guardians and caregivers. Nitya S, a teacher at Apurva Centre for Autism, Bengaluru, said online classes was a big challenge for the kids with autism and ASD. “Before the pandemic, we had 60 children coming to our centre. Out of these, only 35 could attend online classes.” The reasons for the remaining children not attending classes varied from not having stable Internet connectivity to parents going to office, she shared. “In our centre, we used to involve them in physical activities, but that was restricted in online classes. Lack of physical activity made them lethargic and lazy.” Nitya spoke about the positive side of online classes too. “We used to have one-on- one classes that turned out to be helpful.” ►Continued on page 3

Students take up part-time jobs to be more financially independent By Anwesha Singh

ntending to improve skills, young adults are opting for part-time jobs and internships that will enable them to take their theoretical knowledge to their future workplaces. Megha Bhargava, a final-year architecture student who does a part-time job at Waavie, an architecture firm in Bengaluru, informed The Observer: “Studying and then applying the knowledge increases your understanding of the subject. Also, it makes you financially independent.” Asked whether the job affects her studies, she said it helps her gain experience and more knowledge. “You just cannot sit back and study from the textbooks and

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Bengalureans unhappy over the authorities’ decision to seize bike taxis of Rapido | P 3

Routines changed, autistic kids badly affected by the pandemic evik Bhanushali, 17, was happy with his daily routine: Waking up every morning, going to school, learning new things, coming back, playing video games, solving a Sudoku with his evening tea and then going to sleep. That was his life for some years now; but two years ago, this routine was disrupted. When a lockdown was announced in March 2020, all the schools, including schools for children with special needs, were closed and learning was shifted online. Computer or mobile screens became classrooms, and their friends were confined to small rectangular boxes. Something similar happened with Devik, a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Devik hasn’t attended school since June 2020. Since both his parents had started working from home in March 2020, he had ac-

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Part-time jobs help gain experience | Credit: Anwesha Singh do rote memorization. You need to apply your learning to something practical which is only possible through internships or jobs.” Her father, Shiva Bhargava, a government employee, said he is happy his daughter is trying to be financially independent. But, he

said: “I don’t want my daughter’s studies to get affected because of the job. This is just a part-time job and not a permanent one. Dishant Kumar, a class 11 student, manages some of his personal expenses through the money he gets by giving tuitions to children and working as a freelancer on Fiverr, an online platform for freelance services. “As a freelancer, I earn some money and don’t need to ask for pocket money,” he shared. However, his mother, Poonam Kumar, believes it’s important for students to complete their studies first. “My son says his studies are not hampered by the work but I know that it is since he spends his time on tuitions and freelancing.” ►Continued on page 3

News briefs Safety of Indians in Ukraine is priority At an emergency meeting called by United Nations Security Council, India stressed on the safety and security of civilians in Ukraine. TS Tirumurti, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, said the well-being of Indians is of priority to the government. More than 20,000 Indian students and nationals live and study in different parts of Ukraine, including its border areas.

SC to hear plea against offline exams today The Supreme Court will hear an appeal on February 23 seeking cancellation of offline exams for classes 10 and 12. The exams will be conducted by all state boards, CBSE, ICSE and the National Institute of Open Schooling.

11 returning from wedding die in road accident Eleven people returning from a wedding were killed and two injured in an accident in Champawat district of Uttarakhand. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of those who lost their lives and Rs 50,000 to the injured.

Pak to hinder march by women next month According to the think-tank Policy Research Group, Imran Khan’s government is planning to thwart the ‘Aurat March’ and efforts at women empowerment. It plans to glorify hijab to promote conservatism. Noorul Haq Qadri, Minister for Religious Affairs, has appealed to the Prime Minister to declare March 8 as International Hijab Day to counter the ‘Aurat March’ on March 8.

Site, applications of Sikhs For Justice to be banned The Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&B) has decided to ban applications, websites and social media accounts linked to Sikhs For Justice, an organisation that has been declared unlawful. A press release by the ministry said the contents of the blocked applications, websites and accounts have the potential to provoke communal tension and disharmony in the country.

EDUCATION

TheObserver Tuesday,February22,2022

Karnataka’s education sector struggles to adopt new normal

Upgrade teaching methods, say teachers By Chhavi Vohra

r. Helen Roselin has been teaching Environmental Sciences at Mount Carmel College for many years. She loves to teach, but online teaching has made her hate her job. She feels she isn’t able to give her 100 per cent to her students because she lacks technological knowhow. “Virtual learning requires creativity to better engage the students and this requires training as we remain accustomed to the traditional in-person way of imparting knowledge,” Dr Roselin informed The Observer. Like Helen, other educators also feel that teachers need to be trained for virtual/online teaching in order to increase the quality of education. It is equally hard on both teachers and students to adjust to this new normal. Mr Madhusudana, an English professor at Maharani College, said: “One faces various inhibitions during online classes. We need to upgrade our teaching methods and incorporate newer technologies. The first step would be to understand the basics of the

Around the city India Wood 2022, Bengaluru International Exhibition Centre, Hobli, Thursday, February 24 to Monday, February 28, Bengaluru. Religious Architecture of Early Modern India, Bangalore International Centre, Domlur, Friday, February 25, Bengaluru. Asia Jewels Show, JW Marriot Hotel, Ashok Nagar, Friday, February 25 to Sunday, February 27, Bengaluru. AWS Cloud Architect Training, Simplilearn, HSR Layout, Saturday, February 26, Bengaluru.

Quiz 1. Where is the headquarters of the ‘United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’ located? 2.Which African country has recently declared a Polio outbreak? 3.Where was the 6th African Union – European Union Summit held? 4.Who has been conferred with Hilal-e-Pakistan – the 2nd highest civilian award of Pakistan, in 2022? 5.With reference to plastic packaging, what does EPR stand for? country? 6.What is the objective of World Bank’s REWARD Program? ►Answers on page 3

Itisessentialtotrainteacherstomanageonlineclasseseffectively| Credit:ChhaviVohra online software that are used to hold classes. We also need to inculcate better time-management skills and maintain good communication with the students. Flexibility, adaptability and patience are the key to surviving and flourishing amidst the new normal.” “Due to the ongoing pandemic, we are constantly juggling between the online and offline worlds. It is important to be well equipped with technology. EdTech is a growing sector in India. New technologies will arrive and educators should be the first to get well versed in them,”

said Prof. H. Nagaraj, who teaches English at Maharani Arts, Commerce and Management College for Women. For students, online classes lack physicality and a sense of community which can be found through offline classes. Ayush Bhatt, a college student , shared: “I feel there isn’t much interaction in online classes. As a result, I end up feeling distracted and prefer missing the class. There isn’t much practical learning and it feels boring and hectic just sitting in front of the screen listening to the teacher’s voice. I

believe that teachers can come up with creative ways to engage the class, for instance simulation activities and games which can help accelerate the learning process whilst making it interactive. Through this, the students can retain it for a long period of time.” Technical issues prove to be a major problem during online classes. “Often, the teacher has a weak Internet connection which makes it difficult for the students to understand what is being conveyed and make notes. Teachers also find it difficult to adapt to the various online platforms (like Zoom and Microsoft Teams) because they aren’t accustomed to teaching this way. Before taking classes, there should be sessions for teachers to make them adept with the platform” saysAniketEdhate, a student at IISc. Parents are worried about their children’s future. Geetika Singh, mother of Abhimanyu Singh, a student at Presidency College, shared: “Quality online education is the need of the hour. Children do not pay much attention during online classes. Teachers should make all children switch their cameras on during the entire duration of the class and ensure that each student is paying attention.They should ask questions” chhavi.v@iijnm.org ►Read the full report on www.theweeklyobserver.in

Citizen’s Voice Recognize India’s growing stature in motorsports Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited made history by becoming the first ever Indian team ever to win an FIA- accredited Championship. Hyderabad will be the first Indian city to host a Formula E race. It is time now for the government to recognize the growing stature of India in the motorsports world. Jinit Parmar

Right actions will help us become $5-tn economy

For the crypto industry, the budget was largely positive, albeit slightly bittersweet. We must remember this is just the beginning of the larger process of mass adoption. Multiple discussions are needed to come up with better systems and processes. But I'm hopeful that more such developmental steps and right actions will help India to chart out a digital-led growth strategy to become a $5-trillion economy. Kaustubh Bagalkote

Internship was one of the best times in of my life

Interning with Stories of Change in Uttarakhand was one of the best moments in my life. Ground reporting, talking to people, and shooting and editing videos were part of my work. Iloved doing all of that. I was able to apply the knowledge I had gained during the first semester in my college. Aditya Pandey

VTU’s insistence on offline exams in time of pandemic spooks students By Saumyangi Yadav

tudents in Bengaluru forced to give offline exams even after weeks of resistance on Twitter against the same. When the third wave of Covid-19 hit Bengaluru in January, many MBBS and engineering students got anxious about the universities holding exams onsite K.M. Bhuvan Belliappa, a final-year engineering student from the Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology (NMIT), informed The Observer: “It not only puts us at risk of infection but our mental health also gets affected. Many of my peers have anxiety issues and it was very hard for them to prepare for semester-end examinations when Covid cases were doubling every day. We tried to protest online about it. However, no action was taken.” Offline exams are being held in NMIT currently. “The reason they give us is that merely online examinations would affect our placements and skill set required for our career, and that is why offline exams are necessary,” Belliappa futher added. A few weeks ago, Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) released a circular making it mandatory for the colleges to conduct offline exams. Anusha Pritam, a professor at Dayanand Sagar College of Engineering, said: “It is not up to the college administration to decide whether or not to hold offline exams. If the university has mandated offline exams, then all the colleges have to follow it. Also, I think the situation is not so bad anymore and

tudentswhotestpositvefortheinfectionareS also forced to give onsite exams | Credit: ApekshaPriya college students can handle the pressure of examinations.”Some VTU colleges have issued a notice saying that even if a student tests positive he/she will have to appear for physical examinations in a separate room. Suyog Jain, a third-year engineering student at Dayanand Sagar College of Engineering, said: “VTU is forcing the students into writing the exams offline. The utmost safety measure they have taken is assigning a separate room for students who are Covid positive. Students are tormented, but no actions are taken,” Students took to Twitter to demand that the exams either be held online or be postponed until the situation is safe for them. They also demanded that online classes be continued.

Puneeth Charan, another student shared: “There is panic in our college because many students had tested positive and are recovering now. It’s a really harsh decision... since we are not prepared for exams, let alone (for) offline exams.”However, these demands weren’t met. Most colleges started offline exams in the first week of February. Even MBBS students have demanded postponement of exams. A tweet read: “Why are we being made to write exams with hardly seven months of academics? We are the future doctors whom you will have to consult. We have had no time to prepare for examinations. Please take action.” Mahesh Gowda, a consulting psychiatrist at Spandana Nursing home, explained how this may have severe implications on the mental state of students. “Exams are already stressful, undoubtedly. But considering the situation of our education system right now, it must be really hard on students to prepare for exams. Anxiety due to increasing covid cases is very common. Many students may have been directly affected by it, or maybe their parents or someone in their families have been infected. How can they be in a mind space to prepare for examinations?” Farooq Bayabe, vice-president of NSUI, Karnataka, recently met medical education minister K. Sudhakar to share the major concern of MBBS students. However, the government hasnot taken any action about it. saumyangi.y@iijnm.org Read the full report on: www.theweeklyobserver.in

CITY

The Observer Tuesday, February 22, 2022

Commuters want bike taxis back

Students say that they were an affordable option By Tina Freese

engaluru’s commuters are unhappy over the transport department’s decision to seize bike taxis. They found them more affordable and easier to use to the autorickshaws and cabs. The Regional Transport Office (RTO) started seizing Rapido bikes and charging fines by saying they are illegal under the Motor Vehicles Act. This led to an agitation by both the Rapido drivers and the commuters. Several regular Rapido app users The Observer spoke with shared that they prefer bike taxis to cabs and autorickshaws. Ayush Singh, 26, who used Rapido bike taxis regularly, said: “Being a student who is always on a budget, Rapido is the cheapest option. I could travel long distances at a fraction of the cost I will have to pay for cabs.” Anisha Jain, 22, a media communications student, has a similar view. “The bike rides are very safe and extremely economical. Using them saves a lot of time as they don’t get stuck in traffic. It is problematic how the transport department is stopping them from operating. They are the best option for Bengaluru city. Cab and autorickshaw fares are very high. I am forced to pay these…,”

Quiz answers 1. Geneva 2. Malawi 3. Brussels 4. Bill Gates 5. Extended Producer Responsibility 6. Watershed Management

Twitterati Talk @ashokgehlot51 Humble tributes to eminent scholar, freedom fighter & nation's first Education Minister, Bharat Ratna Maulana Abul Kalam Azad ji on his death anniversary. His contribution to the freedom movement and nation building shall always be remembered.

Team Observer Editor: Anwesha Singh Reporters: Anwesha Singh, Saumyangi Yadav, Tina Freese, Swarali Bodas, Chhavi Vohra Copy-editors: Saumyangi Yadav, Tina Freese, Swarali Bodas, Chhavi Vohra Page Layout: Saumyangi Yadav, Tina Freese, Swarali Bodas, Chhavi Vohra Photo Editors: Tina Freese, Swarali Bodas, Chhavi Vohra, Tina Freese Supplement: Arshreet Singh, Shristi Achar A.

Lately, Rapido drivers have been getting threats from autorickshaw and cab drivers in the city | Courtesy: Rapido Sahil Chodhary, a Bengaluru- fordable option for students like based coder, said: I don’t really us in the city. It is wrong and sad understand why they (rapido that they are being banned in the drivers) are not being given a li- city. Their fare is almost 50 per cence to operate in the city.” cent less than (that of) cabs, makBhuvan Prasad, another student ing them affordable for us.” unhappy with the situation, said: Rapido drivers, or captains, are “Bike taxis was a very fast and af- people who get attached to the

company and are paid a commission it. They use their private vehicles to operate the bike taxis. Rajesh K, a captain, said: “We are just trying to do our jobs. We want to earn a living but they have started seizing our bikes. Many were even charged fines of Rs 10,000. We can’t even afford to pay that much money. Autodrivers, too, threaten us because people prefer bike taxis to autos.” Rapido officials have refused to comment on the situation. Devegowda M, a senior regional transport officer, informed The Observer that bike taxis are illegal in the city. “The RTO has been seizing these bike taxis because they are not permitted to operate in the state. This is not something new. Transport department officials have been penalizing bike taxi drivers since the company started operating in 2015.” A fine of Rs 10,000 is levied. “I understand that people are not very happy with this decision, but for us, pillion safety is of the utmost importance. Also, they can’t operate without permission,” he further added. As many as 120 Rapido bike taxis were seized by the RTO in a day, according to a report published in The Hindu. The action came after many autorickshaw and cab unions filed complaints against bike taxis. Using a whiteboard vehicle is illegal. Most Rapido bike taxis are whiteboard vehicles. In 2021, Rapido appealed to be allowed to operate bike taxis in the city. tina.f@iijnm.org

3 This day That year On this day in 1997, a team of British scientists working under the direction of Ian Wilmut at the Roslin Institute near Edinburgh announced the birth of Dolly the sheep, the first succesful clone of an adult mammal. Dolly the sheep was part of a series of experiments at The Roslin Institute that were trying to develop a better method for producing genetically modified livestock.

Quote of the day "Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell the truth." —Oscar Wilde

Weather Max temperature: 31°C Min temperature: 17°C Precipitation: 0% Humidity: 43% Wind: 8 km/h UV Index: Low

Part-time jobs develop the Children with autism skills needed in professions suffer in online classes ►Continued from page 1 fter students start doing part-time jobs, parents are skeptical about their performance in studies. They believe devoting time to part-time jobs will hinder their children’s academic performance. Aayushi Aastha, who works as an HR executive in a consultancy firm, believes youngsters are energetic and efficient in their work. “Before joining any workplace, it’s good to have some practical knowledge and experience. This can be achieved only when you have done some part-time jobs or internships. Companies look for candidates who have some previous experience….” Working gives exposure to young people and develops their personality. Padmavathi Devarakonda, a career counselor, feels a part-time job or an internship is crucial. “Be a part-time job or internship, the student will get to learn a lot. In the process, they will realize if they really enjoy what they are studying or need to explore something different.” Internships generate additional interest in students. They learn the value of money at a young age. Ruchi Gaur, a teacher at Delhi University, agrees that part-time jobs provide students with practi-

►Continued from page 1 sked about children who couldn’t attend online classes, she said that parents once in a while used to contact them and asked for tips. Deepthi, a student at the centre, said electricity at her place often goes off for too long. So she can’t even concentrate on her studies for longer time. She wants to resume offline classes soon. Sishir, another student at the Apurva centre for autism, said that he cannot since in front of a screen for long durations. Dr Anaita Hegde, a pediatric neurologist, said: “Autism is a development disorder in which a person has lack of social and communication skills. They have the age-appropriate motor functions but not enough social skills.” About the impact of online classes, she said these children don’t like to sit for long. “A benefit of offline classes is social interaction. They like to have space and run around. They also watch other children and learn. Schools really give sensory inputs.” Unfortunately, all these were not possible in offline classes. They were reduced to closed spaces. “Both parents and students are exhausted and feel stuck; the children are really

Parents are skeptical about their children’s academic performance | Credit: Anwesha Singh cal knowledge and experience, which are essential in a time when industries are looking for freshers with prior experience. In the US, Canada, and Britain, teenagers start earning as early as 16 years. They are motivated to work and to be financially independent and manage their own expenses. This gives them the exposure to how things are supposed to work professionally. anwesha.s@iijnm.org

struggling,” she added. Himani Mehta, a child development expert who caters to children with special needs thinks the pandemic has hampered their education. “In schools, you have teacher-student interaction face to face which is the best way. But on screens a teacher cannot help students beyond a certain point. Additionally, a child with ASD needs a lot of help and attention while learning. Hence, their education is hampered.” Teachers, parents and students are waiting for schools for special children to reopen in June. It would be beneficial for everyone, they say, as it would resume oneon-one interactions. swarali.b@iijnm.org

The Observer Tuesday, February 22, 2022

International/Business SUPPLEMENT

Military mismatch in eastern Europe Russian military can trample over Ukraine, but not without a bloody nose, writes Arshreet Singh

ussia is engaged in one of the largest military build-ups in Europe since the cold war. Putin has sent 30,000 soldiers to Lukasheno’s Belarus for a 10-day military exercise on February 10. As the Financial Times reported, observers think that over 130,000 Russian troops on Ukraine’s eastern border, 10,000 in Crimea —annexed by Russia in 2014, along with the troops sent to Belarus are ideal for Moscow to execute a “pincermovement” on Ukraine. First used in the Battle of Marathon by Athens in 490 BC, and later by Hitler in the Battle of Kiev in 1941, the classic war manoeuvre aims to envelop the enemy on two or more fronts. Weeks of high-level diplomacy have produced little. A dozen nations including the United States, United Kingdom and Germany have told their citizens to leave Ukraine. As the window for diplomacy shrinks, an invasion of Ukraine gets likelier by the day. In an era defined by the lack of wars, will Putin be willing to risk the backlash that will come from the world? Only Putin

Russian military vastly outnumbers Ukraine when it comes to personnel, tanks, armour, aircraft, ships or missiles I Courtesy: globalfirepower.com

knows. What we do know is how the militaries will compare in a hypothetical war. How do the militaries compare? Russia dominates in sheer numbers, as it ranks second in the world in its Global Fire Power index, while Ukraine sits uncomfortably at the 22nd spot. Russia commands several times more troops, tanks, artillery, ships and aircraft than Ukraine. Russia owns one air-

craft carrier while Ukraine owns zero. It spends more than ten times on its military, and has massive oil and foreign reserves. Ukraine’s numbers are dwarf in comparison. Numbers however, do not tell the whole story. Even in the worst case scenario, Ukraine will not be face the full force of the Russian military —as a significant portion of those troops are required for security operations elsewhere in the world.

About 6,000 of Russia’s 12,000 tanks are Cold War era relics, and they would take weeks to become operational. Ukraine currently has a tank-force of 2,500 modern tanks. Russia is still expected to control the skies however. outnumbering Ukraine’s fighter aircraft 10 to 1, Russia operates a modern air-force while Ukraine uses Cold War era aircraft kept functional by a domestic arms industry. Russia’s extensive ground based air-defence systems, like the one India has recently received, can threaten half of Ukraine’s territory without a single battery even crossing the border. Russia is also a world leader in the arena of electronic warfare. It can degrade Ukraine’s radar system completely, disrupt or jam communications, and aid in the spread of disinformation and propaganda. Apart from an obvious advantage in the military, Russia also enjoys a population three times that of Ukraine. While 17 percent of Ukraine’s citizens identify themselves as ethnic Russians. The Ukrainian military has been building itself since the

war of 2014. Conscription and contraction of troops increased in 2017, and so have the number of military exercises conducted by the country. In 2013, for example, Ukraine conducted zero military drills, while 20-35 drills were conducted in 2017, according to different sources. If needed, Ukraine can also tap into the pool of 900,000 strong reserves at its disposal. Ukraine’s inventory of antitank missiles has been swelling lately. The United Kingdom delivered several thousand next generation light anti-tank weapons and Anglo-Swedish anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM) to Ukraine back in January. The United States started delivering Javelin ATGMs in 2018, and approved a $200 million military-aid package which includes more Javelins, according to a report published by the BBC. Are ATGMs effective? Ukraine’s large and growing armoury of ATGMs will be most effective in urban or woodland areas, as the attacker needs to get as close as 800 metres of a tank in order to call fire.

arshreet.s@iijnm.org

Mumbai’s kirana stores go digital Consumers’ switch to online shopping changes business model, writes Shristi Achar

akesh runs a kirana shop in the middle of a quaint residential area in Thane. Customers visit the swanky shop all day. He stocks almost everything; from regular provisions like rice and wheat to some uncommon items like foreign chocolates and broccoli, that weren’t part of his stock before. “I wasn’t required to store many such things, like baking items…but I have to now; otherwise customers will straight away start ordering them online,” he says. Rakesh has been running his shop since 2012, and recently had to renovate it. As part of the renovation, he installed digital payment facility and even partnered with giants likeJiomart to enable hyper-local delivery of his products. This was perhaps the big turn kiranas took ever since their existence was questioned by giant retail players like Walmart foraying into the Indian market. “Unlike many others, I didn’t lose my business in this pandemic. There are offers and

schemes that these digital companies offer, so my customers keep coming back to buy from me through them. And because of Covid, it has become completely necessary to have all the online things,” adds Rakesh. Rakesh’s shop is one among several such mom-and-pop stores that have been collaborating with e-commerce companies and hyper-local delivery apps to keep their business afloat. E-commerce giants such as Amazon, Flipkart and Jiomart consistently made the news in 2021 for adding kirana stores as partners to utilize their delivery services. While the necessity of evolution might be the standard mantra in the business industry, it won’t be wrong to declare that customers have indeed been spoiled by e-commerce sector. By 2026, this online retail market is expected to grow into a $200 billion worth sector. Sanjay Shah runs his shop in Saat Rasta. He partnered with Snapbizz about two years ago. The latter helps him run his

The changing times have led kirana stores to partner with local delivery apps like Jiomart, Dunzo and Zepto I Credit: Shristi Achar

business more smoothly than before. "I only have to pay an annual fee to Snapbizz for installing the computer and digital payment machines. And it has made maintaining the shop a lot easier. Earlier I had to keep stock of my inventory and sales manually, but now I don't have to...the systems have au-

tomated that for me." "I only had one system before, but I have bought one more now. Even my employees have learnt to handle the systems now....so things aregetting a lot more easier," he added. Vinod Kumar, President of SME India Forum, sees this digital adoption as the in-

evitable evolution required for businesses to stay relevant. “Whenever technology changes something for the consumer, in terms of the product or the service, it is universal. As a consumer, if one is shown a better mechanism to shop, it is bound to stay, since the consumer habit is altered. So businesses have to update themselves.” Kiranas collaborating with ecommerce companies is hence transformative, says Vinod. “Today, if you are exposed once to a good quality product, with multiple choices even for items like rice, being delivered right to your home, as a consumer, you are already spoilt with option So by not offering the same kind of services, only the kiranas stand to lose.” Nitin, another such businessman, runs his ‘Poorni supermarket’ in Marol, Andheri. As he had partnered with several delivery apps such as Dunzo and Zepto even before the pandemic began, it was a natural evolution in his business. shristi.a@iijnm.org