Maharashtra to reopen colleges from February 15

The Maharashtra government has decided to restart physical classes in colleges and universities from February 15, after a coronavirus-enforced gap of over 10 months, said state higher and technical education minister Uday Samant on Wednesday.

The Maharashtra government has decided to restart physical classes in colleges and universities from February 15, after a coronavirus-enforced gap of over 10 months, said state higher and technical education minister Uday Samant on Wednesday.

The Maharashtra government has decided to restart physical classes in colleges and universities from February 15, after a coronavirus-enforced gap of over 10 months, said state higher and technical education minister Uday Samant on Wednesday.

However, the state has restricted the attendance of students in physical classes to 50%, a move that will continue for at least a month for now.

The state government will take a further decision after a review of the situation.

“We have decided to restart colleges and universities in the state from February 15. Colleges can conduct physical classes with 50% students in a class. They also have been directed to ensure Covid-19-appropriate behaviour is strictly followed in campuses,” Samant told reporters.

“As students have been taking online lectures for the past many months and many who stay far away and don’t want to come back for physical classes, we have asked the varsities to give them an option for mode of education. Those who want to continue online lectures should be allowed. We are sure universities will not make any decision that would result in educational loss for students,” he said.

The state government has also decided to relax the mandatory condition of 75% attendance for students in colleges this academic year. This is being done as we are starting physical classes from February 15, the higher and technical education minister said.

The minimum attendance required for this academic year for the students will be decided later, he clarified.

Even for examinations, the state government has authorised universities to decide whether they want to conduct offline or online examinations. “The vice-chancellors have requested us to allow both the modes — offline and online — for conducting examinations and we also share the same opinion. We have also asked them to discuss the issue with students before taking any decision,” the minister said.

The state government has also empowered district collectors to take a decision based on the Covid-19 pandemic situation in the respective district.

It has further decided not to start hostels for students as of now. The higher and technical education minister said that they are going to be started only conducting structural as well as fire audits. “We cannot allow four students in one hostel room like we used to do in pre-Covid times. Now that is not possible as Covid-19 appropriate behaviour needs to be followed. We’ll have to allot one room per student to ensure social distancing is practised. So the varsities will have to decide a criteria for the students to be allowed to use hostels as there are a limited number of hostels. Also, many hostels are still being used as quarantine centers,” he informed.

On Tuesday, Samant said that they had taken an in-principle decision to restart colleges and universities across the state and are preparing standard operating procedure for the same. The minister had also asked the vice-chancellors of all universities to come up with plans for resuming physical classes in in a meeting held on Monday.