The government of Delhi has set up India’s first virtual school called the Delhi Model Virtual School for students having difficulty in attending physical classes on a daily basis after the Covid-19 pandemic, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Wednesday.

It will be a first-of-its-kind step for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government known for its initiatives in the education sector and the Delhi model of education which provides learning opportunities to hundreds of students in government-run schools in the national capital.

During a live broadcast, Delhi CM Kejriwal said, “Today, we are starting India’s first virtual school — the Delhi Model Virtual School, affiliated to the Delhi Board of School Education. We’re inviting admission applications for Class 9 from today. Students from all over the country can apply for admission.”

Since the Covid-19 pandemic broke out worldwide and in India in early 2020, a three-month long lockdown was enforced forcing students to stay away from schools. It was only earlier this year that schools could reopen.

There has been a massive gap in learning as students were forced away from schools for the best part of two and a half years. Even after the reopening of schools, several factors have kept a section of students from attending classes regularly.

Accessible for all, students can attend live classes and access recorded class sessions and study materials in the virtual school, said Kejriwal.

The Delhi CM said, “Students can attend live classes and access recorded class sessions and study material in the Delhi Model Virtual School. We will also help the students to prepare for competitive exams like JEE and NEET.”

The process of application for the Delhi Model Virtual School (DMVS) also began from today. The school is meant for students of classes 9 to 12.