Telangana mulls reopening of universities, colleges

After the UGC issued new guidelines on the reopening of educational institutions across the country, chief secretary of education Chitra Ramachandran decided to hold a meeting on November 9 to discuss on the reopening of colleges and universities in the state.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Thursday issued certain guidelines for reopening of universities and colleges which were remained closed since March in the view of the pandemic. However, the UGC left the decision to the state government to reopen the colleges and state universities based on the situation.

For central universities, the decision for reopening of campuses left to the vice-chancellors.

The guidelines said that isolation facilities for symptomatic persons and quarantine facilities for those who came in contact with the COVID infected persons should be set up in the campus or a tie-up may be made with some government hospital. According to the guidelines, hostels in the campus will remain closed.

UGC stated that the teaching hours in a day may be extended according to the institution requirements. "The seating arrangement should be made ensuring physical distancing and a six-day schedule may be followed so that classes could be conducted in phase manner,

" the guidelines said.