Frontlist | UP and Maharashtra colleges start physical classes from today

On Friday, a letter by Special Secretary of Higher Education Department Abdul Samad said: All universities, degree colleges and other educational institutions of higher learning across the state will function normally from February 15. These institutions were reopened with restrictions on November 23, 2020. However, it is mandatory for all teachers and students to follow Covid 19 protocols like wearing masks, students sitting at a distance of six feet from each other. All the institutes have to ensure sanitation and thermal scanning. If a student, teacher or employee has symptoms of cough, cold or fever, they should be sent back home giving first aid. If symptoms of COVID-19 develop in students or staff, immediate testing should be done and results should be recorded. The letter was sent to the Vice-Chancellors and Directors of Higher Education of all the private and state universities of Uttar Pradesh. The Higher Education Department has asked the educational institutions to fully sanitized the campus before re-opening. The educational authorities have been asked to take COVID-19 prevention measures while conducting the classes. Maharashtra Technical education Minister Uday Samant had called a meeting of vice-chancellors of the universities last week to discuss the resumption of physical classes. He had asked the VCs to come up with a plan for the same. He had also asked them to discuss the issues over the difficulties in resuming physical classes with all the teaching and non-teaching staff. Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, who is also the chancellor of all the universities in the state, had last week also called a meeting of all the vice-chancellors to review annual audit, filling up vacant posts and preparations of the universities for starting physical classes. The vice-chancellors, in the meeting, demanded restarting of physical classes of colleges and universities without any delay. “I came to know through newspapers about reopening of Class 5 to 8 in schools across the state, hence not allowing physical classes at colleges and universities looks contradictory, the Governor had said Source: livemint.com