State governments have been given free rein to reopen schools after October 15 under the Center’s Unlock 5.0 guidelines announced by the Union Ministry of the Interior on Wednesday. Later a decision would be made on the opening of universities. Institutions that have doctoral and postgraduate researchers in science and technology streams that require laboratory work may also be opened.
Interior Ministry guidelines require state governments to reopen schools in a phased manner in consultation with the school administration and based on their assessment of the situation. This flexibility for states to decide on the reopening of schools, however, depends on six conditions listed by the Union Ministry of the Interior.
1. Online and distance learning will continue to be the preferred mode of teaching and will be encouraged.
2. When schools offer classes online and some students prefer to attend classes online rather than physically attending school, they may be allowed to do so.
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3. Students may attend schools and institutions only with the written consent of their parents.
4. Attendance must not be enforced and must depend entirely on parental consent.
5. The states will prepare their own standard operating procedure regarding health and safety precautions for the reopening of schools based on the procedures that will be outlined by the Union ministry of education.
6. Schools that are allowed to open will be required to follow the SOP issued by the state department of education.
In Wednesday’s Unlock 5.0 guidelines, the Center has not expressed its position on the reopening of universities and institutions of higher education. The timing of the reopening of the universities would be taken by the higher education department in consultation with the Ministry of the Interior of the Union based on the assessment of the situation, according to the guidelines.
Online learning will continue to be the preferred mode of teaching for universities and will be encouraged.
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The opening of institutions with doctoral researchers and graduate students in science and technology will be allowed as of October 15.
The decision on the reopening of these institutions run by the central government would be taken by their head, who must ensure that there is a genuine requirement for research scholars from both streams to come for laboratory or experimental work.
The state government has been empowered to decide on the reopening of individual institutions in state and private universities for researchers in the branch of science and technology.
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