Online class, banned in Karnataka, has been allowed by the Primary and Secondary Education Department in schools across the state in compliance with the state government's guidelines. Among other things, the government has instructed against collecting fees until a committee, formed to look into the matter, submits its report.

Official sources said that an official order allowing private institutions to carry on Online classes will be issued shortly. However, the class should be held only for 30 minutes to 45 minutes. The High Court, in its order last week, had asked the state government to find a solution to the students' problems since a group of parents had expressed their reservation on the future of their wards since Coronavirus has become rampant.

As per the revised order, all schools affiliated to the state primary and secondary education board, CBSE and ICSE boards can conduct online classes in compliance with the state government's guidelines. During the hearing, the Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Nataraj Rangaswamy asked the state government if online classes violated Article 21-A of the Constitution for free and compulsory education.

The Bench also asked if online classes be permitted for a few hours daily. The department directed the expert panel, headed by noted educationist M K Sridhar, to look into the scientific ways of offering online education to students of classes VI-X, studying in middle and high schools across the state.

The Committee has been asked to suggest ways to engage kids of LKG to class V without online classes, alternatives to provide education during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis without harming traditional teaching and physical and mental health issues among the students due to online education. The department has already advised state-run government and private schools across the state not to reopen after summer till further order due to the extended lockdown guidelines to prevent the COVID-19 spread.