New Delhi: The Union Ministry on Wednesday released a new guideline for Unlock 5, allowed schools, colleges to reopen from 15 October in a graded manner and on a case-to-case basis in consultations with educational institute’s management and State Government.
As per the Unlock 5 rules issued on Wednesday by the home ministry, Attendance is not mandatory in schools and students are allowed to continue studying in the online mode.
“For re-opening of schools and coaching institutions, State/ UT Governments have been given the flexibility to take a decision after 15th October 2020, in a graded manner. The decision shall be taken in consultation with the respective school/ institution management, based on their assessment of the situation,” the fresh unlocking rules said.
In Unlock 5.0, The Centre has also allowed theatres across India to run at 50 percent capacity from October 15. However, each state will take a call, based on their respective COVID situation. The SOPs (standard operating procedures) for the same will be issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Swimming pools being used for training of sportspersons and entertainment parks have also been permitted to open, subject to SOPs to be issued by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare respectively.
The latest guidelines also say that social, academic, sports, entertainment, cultural, religious, political functions and other congregations that had already been permitted with a ceiling of 100 people, may now extend to more people outside Covid-19 containment zones, if states and union territories wish to do so.
Notably, Guidelines issued by the Home Ministry states that the international flights will not operate till October 31. However, there are a number of countries to which flights are being operated and Indian citizens can take flights.
The Unlock 5.0 guidelines have not allowed international flights to resume as yet and DGCA’s decision is in line with the Home Ministry’s norms. The government has also said on past occasions that the relaxation on International flights will depend on how the virus behaves, and how caseloads are being recorded within India as well as in the destination countries. Keeping that in mind, international scheduled flights have been suspended further.
Unlike previous unlock rules, this fresh guidelines has said that states and UTs will prepare their own standing operating procedure.
“States /UTs will prepare their own SOP regarding health and safety precautions for reopening of schools/ institutions based on the SOP to be issued by Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education, Government of India, keeping local requirements in view,” it said adding that schools, which are allowed to open, will have to mandatorily follow the SOP.