MHA extends guidelines for re-opening schools, colleges until November 30

The guidelines state that there are no fresh changes in the latest guidelines and all major activities have already been allowed but strict lockdown will continue in containment zones.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday, i.e. October 27, released an order to extend the MHA unlock guidelines regarding the reopening of schools and colleges until November end. According to the latest update, the school reopening guidelines, released on September 30, will remain in force until November 30. The guidelines state that there are no fresh changes in the latest guidelines and all major activities have already been allowed but strict lockdown will continue in containment zones. The Unlock 5 guidelines which were issued in September for October stated that for re-opening of schools and coaching institutions, states and Union Territories have been given the flexibility to take a decision to reopen their institutions in a graded manner. Following which some of the states have opened schools after six months gap while many have not reopened yet.

State governments and administrations of Union territories permitted schools and other educational institutions regarding its reopening, based on the assessment of the situation and subject to SOPs. These include schools and coaching institutes and state and private universities for research scholars allowing gatherings above the limit of 100. The MHA guidelines also stated that online and distance learning shall continue to be the preferred mode of teaching and will be encouraged.

The latest guidelines on unlocking also asked people to exercise extreme caution and follow Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Jan Aandolan launched earlier this month to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, according to the revised MHA guidelines, academic and other similar congregations in closed spaces will be allowed with a maximum of 50 percent of the hall capacity and subject to a ceiling of 200 persons.

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