The Odisha government on Wednesday, November 10, announced that schools for Classes VI and VII would reopen from November 15. Teaching hours for these students will be from 9.30 am to 1 pm, out of which three hours will be used for education, the School and Mass Education Department said. Students are allowed to attend classes either online or offline mode. Attendance is not mandatory for students in offline mode, the department said.

"State government has been pleased to allow reopening of schools in respect of Class VI & VII students for the academic year 2021-21 with effect from 15th November 2021," the Information & Public Relations Department tweeted. The School and Mass Education Department highlighted that all should follow appropriate COVID protocols. Classroom teaching had been suspended since March 2020 due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

First-year postgraduate students will also resume physical classes from November 15. Physical classes for first-year undergraduate students for the 2021-22 academic session began in Odisha on November 1. Physical classes had started for Classes X and XII on July 26, Class XI from October 21 and Class VIII from October 25.