Schools & colleges to reopen in Assam from 1 November

Oct 1: Following the guidelines of the Union Government, State Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that all the schools and colleges in Assam will reopen from 1 November, 2020. It needs mention here that informal classes from class 9 to 12 are going on in the state maintaining COVID-19 protocols.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has announced on Wednesday, a detailed guideline of Unlock 5, to be effective from 1 October. The new guidelines, issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), are based on feedback received from States and UTs, and extensive consultations held with related Central Ministries & Departments. State/ UT Governments may take a decision in respect of re-opening of schools and coaching institutions, after 15 October 2020, in a graded manner. The decision shall be taken in consultation with the respective school/ institution management, based on their assessment of the situation, and subject to the following conditions:

• Online/ distance learning shall continue to be the preferred mode of teaching and shall be encouraged.
• Where schools are conducting online classes, and some students prefer to attend online classes rather than physically attend school, they may be permitted to do so.
• Students may attend schools/ institutions only with the written consent of parents.
• Attendance must not be enforced, and must depend entirely on parental consent.
• States /UTs will prepare their own standard operating procedure (SOP) regarding health and safety precautions for reopening of schools/ institutions based on the SOP to be issued by Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education, Government of India, keeping local requirements in view.
• Schools, which are allowed to open, will have to mandatorily follow the SOP to be issued by Education Departments of States/ UTs prepared as above.

Department of Higher Education (DHE), Ministry of Education may take a decision on the timing of the opening of Colleges/ Higher Education Institutions, in consultation with Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), based on the assessment of the situation. Online/ distance learning shall continue to be the preferred mode of teaching and shall be encouraged. However, Higher Education Institutions only for research scholars (Ph.D) and post-graduate students in science and technology stream requiring laboratory/ experimental works will be permitted to open from 15th October, 2020 as under:

• For centrally funded Higher Education Institutions, the Head of the Institution will satisfy herself/ himself that there is a genuine requirement of research scholars (Ph.D) and post-graduate students in science and technology stream for laboratory/experimental works.
• For all other Higher Education Institutions e.g. State Universities, Private Universities etc., they may open only for research scholars (Ph.D) and postgraduate students in science and technology stream requiring laboratory/ experimental works as per decision to be taken by the respective State/UT Governments.