Chandigarh colleges to reopen from August 11

The hybrid mode (online and offline) of teaching can be adopted by the head of the institute, wherever required

With Covid-19 cases dipping sharply in the recent weeks, the Chandigarh higher education department has decided to reopen colleges for the ongoing batches from August 11.

Only those students who have received at least one dose of vaccine, at least two weeks ago, will be allowed to attend physical classes.

However, the hybrid mode (online and offline) of teaching can be adopted by the head of the institute, wherever required. “It has been decided to open the institutions of higher education for the ongoing classes on or after August 11, as per their academic calendar,” reads the order issued by the directorate of higher education, Chandigarh administration.

However, only those students who have received at least one dose of vaccine, at least two weeks ago, will be allowed to attend physical classes. The decision regarding the exemption from vaccination (due to medical conditions only) has to be taken by the college head.

The order, which includes the guidelines as well, was issued after the UT administration in July allowed colleges and universities to reopen from August, with the rider that students, teaching and non-teaching staff who turn up for physical classes must have received at least one vaccine dose. There are nine government colleges and seven grant-in-aid colleges under the purview of the department of higher education in Chandigarh.

According to the instructions issued, the heads of the institutions have been asked to work out all modalities for the phasing of classes so that Covid-appropriate behaviour can be followed.

For more than a year, since March last year when the pandemic first broke out, city colleges have remained largely shut. Some colleges reopened in November, but didn’t evoke much response from students. When the first wave subsided, the administration had decided to reopen all colleges in February this year. However, the second wave started soon after in March, thwarting the plan.

The heads of colleges have also been asked to ensure that teaching and non-teaching staff have received at least one dose of vaccination. Every college has been directed to work out its plan for the opening of hostels and students seeking hostel accommodation will be required to submit a negative RT-PCR report.

Moreover, the institutions have been asked to ensure that Covid-appropriate behaviour is followed, as prescribed by the Government of India and Chandigarh administration. According to the academic calendar for 2021-22 issued by Panjab University (PU), the classes for ongoing batches at its affiliated colleges, including the ones in Chandigarh, will begin n August 11.

PU yet to decide

Despite the next academic session for the ongoing batches set to begin on August 11, Panjab University is yet to decide on reopening the campus.

The varsity has not even announced the mode of teaching to be adopted, leaving students in a fix.

The varsity has remained closed since March last year after the Covid-19 outbreak. The classes and exams for both semesters of the 2020-21 academic session were conducted online.

While demanding resumption of physical classes, students of a few departments had boycotted online classes this March.

According to sources, PU might decide to take classes online for some time as it is unprepared to reopen the campus for students as yet.