The Education Ministry on Saturday released guidelines for reopening of schools during the Unlock 5 phase. States/UTs may take a decision in respect of reopening of schools and coaching institutes after Oct 15.

The schools which are conducting online classes can continue and students who prefer to attend online classes rather than physically attend schools, they may be permitted to do so.

According to the guidelines, after October 15, schools, colleges and other educational institutions can also open outside containment areas. The decision on whether to reopen educational institutions or not was left with the states/UTs. Students may attend schools or institutions only with the written consent of parents and attendance must not be enforced.

States or UTs will prepare their own SOP regarding health and safety precautions for reopening of schools based on SOP to be issued by the Ministry of Education, keeping local requirements in view. Here is the tweet from Ministry of Education.

Guidelines for reopening of schools/HEIs outside containment zones:

States/UTs may take a decision in respect of reopening of schools & coaching institutes after Oct 15, in a graded manner. pic.twitter.com/kp89ol48Cr
— Ministry of Education (@EduMinOfIndia) October 3, 2020

Higher education institutes would reopen only for PhD research scholars and PG students in science and technology streams requiring experimental or lab work permitted on the following basis:

For Centrally Funded HEIs, the head of the institution has to satisfy himself or herself on the requirement of lab or experimental works.
Other HEIs like state universities, private universities etc, may reopen only for lab or experimental works as per the decision of the respective states or UTs.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued new guidelines for ‘Unlock 5’, allowing more relaxations outside the containment zones. Lockdown has been extended in COVID-19 hotspots till October 31 to break the chain of coronavirus transmission.