Maharashtra : Colleges shut since pandemic outbreak can reopen physically from October

Mumbai : It’s been a year and a half since pandemic outbreak. Due to COVID19 education had switched to online mode. But now as India might reach 100 crore vaccination mark next week, degree colleges can reopen. Higher and Technical Education Minister Uday Samant announced on Wednesday that colleges will resume physical classes from October 20. Degree colleges will function with 50% occupancy and only for fully vaccinated students.

The students who are under 18 vaccination is not mandatory said government resolution on Wednesday evening.

“All the non-agricultural colleges, state-run universities, deemed universities, self-financed universities and colleges affiliated to them can start holding physical classes from October 20. The teaching as well as non-teaching staff should complete their vaccination on priority,” Samant said.

“Only the students who have taken both the doses can attend the classes. Those students who are yet to complete their vaccination against COVID-19 should get it on priority by coordinating with their respective colleges,” he added. 

Every university should issue the standard operating procedures (SOPs) to the colleges affiliated to it, he said. A proposal to allow college-going students to board local trains in Mumbai and neighbouring areas will be submitted before the state chief secretary soon, the minister said.

Those students who need to stay at the hostel will be intimated by their college administration. The colleges are supposed to discuss the issue with the officials of higher and technical education officials regarding the opening of hostels for students, he added.

Higher and technical education minister Uday Samant on Tuesday said in regions with less or declining Covid cases, university administrations can call more than 50% students from October 20. Regions where the total number of Covid cases are on the higher side and are likely to increase, the decision to start physical classes can be taken by local corporations, he added.

“For students above 18 years who have not received both the doses, universities and colleges must take the initiative to hold vaccination camps with help from local district officials,” he said.

University administrations can also arrange special drives in cities for unvaccinated students, like the one conducted for women. Vaccinating teaching and non-teaching staff should be done on a priority basis, he said.

Colleges To Resume In Mumbai Or Not, Call Of Mumbai University

While colleges in the state can reopen with 50% capacity or more, the decision to start classes in Mumbai will be taken by the university in consultation with the BMC. As the main mode of transport in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region is the local train, the state will write to the chief secretary, seeking permission for under-18 students to travel. Although permission has been given for offline classes from Std 8 to 12. few colleges in the city have managed to start their junior colleges due to commuting constraints Samant said “Colleges and universities can call 50% students or more after consulting with the local administration