The Telangana State Council of Higher Education (TSCHE) will hold a review meeting with the Health Department and other concerned departments on December 15 to discuss how degree colleges, technical institutes and universities can be opened for regular classes.

“If COVID-19 continues to subside, we will decide a date for the reopening of colleges in a phased manner. The decision would be made after the discussion scheduled for December 15,” said TSCHE chairman Papi Reddy.

Nearly a semester’s worth of time was lost due to the pandemic. Therefore, the State’s universities may reduce the syllabus or propose a conjoint academic year with just one semester instead of two, so that there are no delays in the forthcoming academic years. It will also save the current academic year of 2.17 lakh freshmen pursuing conventional degree courses, for whom online classes had begun this week. The number of admissions through Degree Online Services Telangana (DOST) increased from 1.80 lakh in the 2019-20 academic year to 2.17 lakh in 2020-21. “The number of women enrolling for and graduating out of higher education institutes has increased in Telangana. In the case of men, both enrolment and pass out percentage has dipped,” said TSCHE vice-chairman and DOST convenor Professor R Limbadri.

It is safe to say that the enrolment of women into universities has gone up by nearly eight per cent, in the last four years, he added. “However, the data for admissions this year is yet to be interpreted. That will be done when the admissions are closed. Nonetheless, we know for the fact that the percentage of women enrolments into universities has gone up further,” he added.

In the meantime, the government will begin conducting online classes for freshmen of engineering, pharmacy, agriculture and other professional degree courses.