In a significant development, Higher and Technical Education Minister Uday Samant announced on Wednesday that degree colleges in districts with low Covid positivity rates could reopen. Besides, he also declared that there would be no common entrance test (CET) for students seeking admission to degree college after Class 12.
Samant’s announcements come on the heels of the state government’s move to relax Covid curbs in 22 districts where the number of cases, as well as positivity rates have dropped. The announcement on no CET for degree courses came a day after the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education announced Class XII results on the basis of the average marks obtained in Class XI and XII and Class XII internal evaluations.
“The spread of coronavirus is gradually declining across the state. In view of this, the government revised its ‘Break the Chain’ order on Monday. In this backdrop, degree colleges in districts with low positivity rates and low caseloads will reopen in the present academic year,” said Samant. He added that the students could physically attend colleges. “The commencement of the academic year and the reopening of degree colleges will be undertaken in the next eight days. The ground-level situation in each district is different, so accordingly, the criteria for colleges to start allowing students to physically attend will also be different,” he said.
A senior department official said the department would prepare standard operating procedures underlining the importance of strict compliance with Covid-Appropriate Behaviour, especially as experts have predicted the possibility of a third wave of Covid-19. “Barring 11 districts, the positivity rate in 25 districts is low, as compared to the weekly average of 3.53 per cent. The districts include Raigad (3.46 per cent), Palghar (2.46 per cent), Aurangabad (2.27 per cent), Nashik (1.85 per cent), Thane (1.59 per cent, Latur (1.49 per cent), Gadchiroli (1.32 per cent), Mumbai (1.26 per cent), Amravati (0.91 per cent), Buldana (0.85 per cent), Bhandara (0.54 per cent), Jalgaon (0.49 per cent), Jalna (0.46 per cent), Yavatmal (0.45 per cent), Akola (0.43 per cent), Washim (0.42 per cent), Nandurbar (0.39 per cent), Chandrapur (0.37 per cent), Parbhani (0.32 per cent), Hingoli (0.32 per cent), Gondia (0.31 per cent), Nagpur (0.26 per cent), Nanded (0.20 per cent) and Wardha (0.18 per cent),” he added.
Samant’s announcement came hours after Public Health Minister Rajesh Tope said the pace of vaccinations would be increased in Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara and Pune, which had high positivity rates.
Meanwhile, Samant said students would be admitted to the degree courses on the basis of their Class 12 results and he reiterated that no CET was required for admission. “We have taken a decision after meeting with vice-chancellors. The admission process for traditional courses like Arts, Science, Commerce will start on the basis of the results of Class 12 results. The admission process will begin from Thursday. This year, Class 12 results are nine per cent higher, so the number of students passing the examination has also increased significantly. However, the number of divisions will be increased to accommodate all those students who have passed. No student will be left without admission to degree college,” he added.
Samant said that the VCs had been asked to submit proposals with regard to increasing the number of divisions and the intake capacity before August 31.
