One of the biggest casualties of the Covid-19 pandemic and the resultant lockdown has been institutionalised education. Schools have been shut to prevent the spread of the virus and this has given way to online classrooms, a very new concept in India even for the most sophisticated schools. It is commendable how easily some educational institutions have moved to virtual classrooms, all thanks to tools such as Zoom, Google Hangouts and Microsoft Teams. But there are some still struggling to get online. The online classes, whatever the enabling technology, is only as good as the teachers and the ability of the students to grasp the new teaching technique. One of the teachers felt students are actually more responsive and active in online classrooms, compared to when they are in physical ones. "This could be because this is a new concept and they are excited to explore it with the teachers. They also don't get distracted by their classmates, which frequently happens in a regular class." Teachers do find the absence of a blackboard a disadvantage and network connectivity a constant problem. "We miss the clarity that a blackboard gives us, we are kind of making do with the virtual whiteboard on Zoom." Shweta Kawatra, a parent who teaches in a New Delhi school, highlights that many students have not been able to take advantage of the virtual platform because they do not have a suitable device at home or lack a good internet connection. "It has its own share of disadvantages too. Too much screen time can be perilous for health. Prolonged online sessions can be overwhelming and may lead to problems related to vision, body posture and sleep disorder," Kawatra adds.

[Excerpt from an Article by Sneha Saha, The Indian Express, dated April 18, 2020]

Which of the following can be inferred from the passage above?

The correct answer is: There is a divide in opinions of people on the merits and demerits of Online education.

Step-by-step Explanation:

1. Analyzing the Passage:

The passage discusses both positive aspects (merits) and negative aspects (demerits) of online education during the Covid-19 pandemic lockodwn:

- Merits / Positive Views: One teacher notes that students are "actually more responsive and active in online classrooms" and less distracted by classmates.

- Demerits / Negative Views: Teachers mention disadvantages such as missing the clarity of a blackboard and facing constant network connectivity issues. Furthermore, Shweta Kawatra highlights issues of equity (lack of devices or good internet) and health concerns ("Too much screen time can be perilous for health... problems related to vision, body posture and sleep disorder").

2. Evaluating the Options:

- Option 1: "There is a divide in opinions of people on the merits and demerits of Online education."
This is directly supported by the passage, as it highlights both beneficial aspects (higher engagement, lack of classmate distraction) and drawbacks (lack of physical blackboards, poor connectivity, accessibility issues, health risks).

- Option 2: "Online education system is going to replace the Institutionalized education system."
The passage does not state or infer that online education will permanently replace physical/institutionalized education.

- Option 3: "The institutionalized education system is not at all perilous for health of students."
The passage only mentions that prolonged online sessions can be perilous for health; it makes no comparative statement declaring institutionalized education to be completely non-perilous.

- Option 4: "All of the above."
Since options 2 and 3 are incorrect, option 4 is also incorrect.

Therefore, the valid inference from the passage is that opinions are divided on the merits and demerits of online education.