Colleges to start from Jan 10, attendance not compulsory

Colleges to start from Jan 10, attendance not compulsory

Ashutosh.Shukla@timesgroup.com

Bhopal: 16.12.2020

Principal secretary, higher education, Anupam Rajan, has said that though theory classes in state colleges will begin from January 10, attendance in both the practical and theory classes will not be compulsory. SOPs on how to conduct classes in colleges would be issued in the next couple of days. SOPs decided by other states, where colleges are open, are also being studied and guidelines with clear dos and don’ts will be issued in a couple of days, Rajan said.

Talking to TOI, Rajan said that the decision to start classes was taken in the department’s review meeting on Monday and work on the SOP has begun. Chief minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who presided over the meeting, asked to start practical classes in colleges from January 10. Rajan said it was also decided at the meeting to allow colleges to hold theory classes from January 10, though attendance in classes will not be compulsory and online classes will also continue.

When asked whether attendance in practical classes will be compulsory, he said, “If someone feels, he doesn’t need to go to practical classes, he can miss the class. As of now, the students don’t have the facility to conduct practicals as colleges are closed. In the new year, they will have the facility but if someone feels that missing chemistry practical classes won’t make any difference to him, he can omit the practical classes as well,” Rajan said.

He further said that 50% students of the class capacity will be allowed to sit in the class at a time, therefore classes will be held in two batches in all the subjects. The same rule will apply for practical classes as well.

Stir called off

The school and college forum has cancelled the proposed protest on December 16 after the government’s announcement about the reopening of schools and colleges. Chairman, Association of Technical and Professional Institutes KC Jain, said, “We are assured by the state government. In such a situation, there was no meaning of organising protest.”