Amity Youth Forum 2020 online school edition commences at Amity University

Using technology as an enabler for the benefit of students during Covid times, Amity University Uttar Pradesh (AUUP) kick started the Amity Youth Forum (AYF) 2020 Online School Edition. The mega student’s forum will be held from 19th June to 20th June 2020, hosting 74 competitions in 13 categories which will test the talent and competitive abilities of the school students.
The competitions under AYF-2020 Online School Edition are open to school students from across the world studying in classes from 9th to 12th including the students of passing out class 12th of 2020. There is no registration fee and students can enter in more than one competition. AYF-2020 Online School Edition is being organized to creatively engage more than 8000 students from 1000 schools and challenge their minds.
Chief Guest for the virtual inauguration Ms Smriti Irani, Union Cabinet Minister for Textiles and Women & Child Development expressed her happiness upon knowing how Amity is making use of this time to engage its students in various online education and other activities and also shared how this lockdown period has seen a 120% jump in the use of education technology and education applications. She advised students to explore subjects that are not part of their curriculum and how this time has given an opportunity to distinguish between education and learning. The minister told students that the government was aware about their anxiety regarding examinations & their future and are working together with the ministry and institutions to provide safe education to them. Ms Irani further averred that this time period is an opportunity for students to get into chat rooms and explore global collaborations for small innovations. She also suggested students to look at ‘Donate a Device’ initiative to enable a smartphone experience for someone who is not that privileged and assist students who faced trouble in understanding and speaking English.
Guest of Honour for the occasion Mr. Dushyant Chautala, Deputy Chief Minister of Haryana talked about how tough this time is for everyone and there is a need to stay united to find a way out. He further stated that while Covid 19 was a huge global crisis, it has also brought in opportunities for the nation and highlighted how online education is the need of the hour. “We need to invent to see how education can innovate in these times. The past 90 days we have seen things change rapidly, people migrating, the middle class struggling but every person of the country has played their role and enabled a positive outcome. This is a time that none of us had ever imagined to see and it has taught us to utilise the best possible resources in hand; get work outputs from home and learn from these lessons to take India forward,” said Mr. Chautala. He advised students to increase their knowledge about research and invention which have come up recently as more innovation needs to be done that will take the country forward.
Dr. (Mrs.) Amita Chauhan, Chairperson, Amity Group of Schools, India and Abroad asked students to focus further on innovation and research for the betterment of the nation. She averred that the youth should have clarity of thought, conviction, courage to think differently and be compassionate. She asked students to invent for the development of the nation.
Dr. Atul Chauhan, Chancellor, Amity University asserted that students are asked to develop a holistic personality at Amity and advised students to develop themselves as a person to become successful. He also shared Ms. Irani has inspired students to learn beyond the curriculum. Dr. Chauhan averred that also stated that pivot or perish will be the mantra for the coming times. He also announced the organization of the online edition of Amity Summer School in the coming week and first 50 applicants will be given 100% scholarship.
Dr. Balvinder Shukla, Vice Chancellor, Amity University detailed that Covid has brought lot of anxiety and uncertainty to students, institutions and their parents. She shared the various measures including daily Yoga & Zumba lessons, 24/7 counselling facility available to the students, industry-led webinars  along with regular online classes to maintain their academic continuity during the lockdown period. Dr. Shukla stated that AYF-2020 Online School Edition aimed at bringing students to engage creatively and enter into their happy zone in this lockdown period by organizing various activities including coding & programming; stand-up comedy acts; photography; poster making; films & theatre competitions and quiz competitions among various other activities.