Indore: While the National Medical Commission (NMC) has directed all the medical colleges to open by December 1, colleges in Madhya Pradesh may not get open by the given date as the Madhya Pradesh Medical Science University (MPMSU) seeks time from the government for the same.
The university has also forwarded the letter of NMC and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to the Deans of all medical colleges in the state and asked their opinion on the same.
“We have initiated discussions and taking advice from the state government over the orders of NMC. We have also asked the Deans of all medical colleges to give their opinion over the same. Decisions will be taken after discussing the government and the medical colleges,” Vice Chancellor of MPMSU Dr TN Dubey said.
He added that even after getting a nod from the government, it will take time to open the colleges as it requires preparations to adhere to the COVID-19 norms strictly.
“Every college will have to prepare for re-opening and have to prepare a plan to adhere to the guidelines to ensure safety of the students. We will open the colleges after ensuring all safety measures,” the VC said.
Meanwhile, Dean of Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College Dr Sanjay Dixit said, “University has asked us to give our opinion over the same. We have informed the university about our stand and will take steps according to the orders by them.”
He said that they have the highest number of UG students in the state and will plan accordingly along with fixing a quarantine period for students as they cannot compromise with students’ safety.
However, one of the private colleges of Indore is ready to open the college on the given date and has also released a circular for the same.
NMC issues guidelines for re-opening of colleges
National Medical Commission has issued guidelines for the medical colleges to re-open. In the guidelines, NMC has instructed the institutes and stated that colleges will therefore be required to develop their plans very cautiously for reopening of their campuses.
The plan may, inter-alia, include the following points:
i. Colleges should prepare details of opening the campus in a phased manner with a complete roster for all departments and batches of students in different programmes.
ii. The colleges must ensure appropriate sanitization and disinfection processes and procedures.
iii. It should be made mandatory for the Teachers, Officers, Staff and Students to wear the ID cards.
iv. The faculty, student, staff should be screened regularly to protect and avoid infecting one another.
v. All preventive measures, preparedness, and necessary support systems to deal with the COVID -19 positive cases should be monitored and reported to local authorities on a day to day basis.
vi. Teaching hours in a day may be extended, as per requirements of the college.
vii. Six-day schedule may be followed so that classes can be conducted in phases and the seating arrangement be made keeping in view the requirements of physical distancing.
viii. Colleges may consider reducing the class size and break them in multiple sections to maintain physical distancing during the classes.
ix. Depending on the availability of space in class rooms or learning sites, up to 50% students may be allowed on a rotation basis to attend the classes.
x. Faculty should be trained for online teaching-learning practices.
xi. The visitors should either not be allowed at all or their entry should be drastically restricted. The conditions of the entry for visitors should be strictly laid down and displayed on the entry point(s). Complete contact details of the visitors be maintained along with the names of persons whom he/ she meets.
xii. There should be adequate isolation arrangements for those having symptoms and also for those who test positive for COVID-19 (however the two need to be kept separately), either at the level of the institution or in collaboration with the Government authorities.
