Bhubaneswar: Students face big problems in districts dominated by tribes because of poor cellular networks.
Most are preparing for different entrance examinations and very dependent on online classes.
They often travel to the nearest hills or climb large trees to access the network.
This is especially true in Kandhamal Regency, Ladies, Coraput, Nabarangpur and Raya.
People managed with poor networks until educational institutions started online classes in March 2020.
In Saramuli Panchayat in Demarbadi Kandhamal block, students travel to the nearest hill to get the internet for online classes.
This village of Pancayat – Mardipanka, Sanjakuti, Burusula, Taragabali and Bhunguriguda – do not have a good network.
Ananga Deb Singh, a resident of Mardipanka Village, said that cellular network problems have become obstacles in accessing online classes through YouTube.
“We have demanded the installation of cellular network towers in our village since 2017.
Although the survey was conducted in 2019, nothing was realized,” he added.
A similar situation was reported from several Block Villages Thuamul Rampur in Kalangdi.
Deal, a social activist from this locality, Panchayats said such as kidpai and nakrundi do not have good cellular networks and students face difficulties to get good internet for online classes.
Many students do not have a smartphone in this area.
“The students are very upset,” said Das.
According to the Odisha economy survey –2018-19, around 11,000 of 51,311 villages in the state did not have cellular connectivity.
Of the 11,000 villages, 10,000 are in areas affected by left wing extremism.