Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Online classes, which were started in institutes of higher learning due to outbreak of Covid-19, will end on November 22. Students have been asked by colleges to return to the campus for attending classes.
Citing an order issued by the Department of Higher Education (DAVV), Indore division additional director Suresh Silawat stated that the DHE had ordered for discontinuing online classes and holding offline classes with 100 per cent capacity.
The order is effective from November 18. Since the order was issued in the afternoon of November 18, it can’t be implemented on the same day.
The colleges will discontinue online classes from November 22 and hold offline classes with full capacity. “We have informed students about the DHE order and asked students to return to the campus for attending lectures in offline mode,” Silawat, who is also principal of Government Holkar Science College said.
The classes were started in offline mode around two months back but with only 50 per cent of the classroom capacity.
As Covid-19 cases went down further, the DHE ordered offline classes with full capacity.
Eligible students sans jab can’t come to college
Students who are ineligible for Covid-19 vaccination can come to colleges for attending classes. However, such students who are above the age of 18 and have not taken both the jabs will have to take them. Principals have been told to ensure that all eligible students, teaching and non-teaching staff take both doses of vaccine.
Hostel, mess also to reopen
Hostels and messes will also reopen with full capacity. In its order, DHE stated that students of all semesters and years of their programme can be allocated rooms in hostels. Previously, the government had permitted the allocation of room in boarding facilities only to students final year/semester of the programme. DHE has also permitted libraries to function with full capacity. Previously, libraries were also allowed to accommodate only 50 per cent of their intake capacity.
Students to return to campus after 18 months
Students with full capacity will return to campus after a long gap of 18 months. College and university campuses were closed in March last year owing to the outbreak of Covid-19 in the state. When the first wave of Covid-19 doused, DHE had permitted reopening of college gates to students from January 1 but with 50 per cent to classroom capacity. Hardly any students went to campus at the time as online classes were still going on. In March, when the second wave of Covid-19 lashed the state, the DHE ordered closure of all college campuses. When Covid-19 cases fell down, DHE permitted offline classes with 50 per cent of intake capacity. As both online and offline classes were functional, most of the students opted online option.
“As the order for classes with full capacity has been issued, DHE discontinued online classes otherwise students won’t come to colleges for attending lectures in offline mode,” Indore division additional director Suresh Silawat
