Karnataka government bars students from going to school, college till October 15 even before MHA guidelines

The Karnataka government has decided not to allow students from schools and preuniversity colleges to visit their institutes till October 15. The announcement came just hours before the Ministry of Home Affairs’ guidelines to states to consider reopening schools only after October 15. The MHA, in August, had permitted students of class 9 to 12 to visit their school and clarify doubts from September 21.

The state had announced that students will not be allowed to visit schools till September-end. This was met with resentment by private schools who said the government had played foul by starting offline classes for government schools but prohibiting it for private ones. The Commissioner of Public Instruction said because of Covid, it was decided it would not be safe for students to visit schools.

States can decide on school opening
The MHA on Wednesday issued new guidelines on reopening of more activities outside containment zones. As for schools and coaching institutions, it has given state governments and Union Territories the flexibility to take a decision after October 15. The MHA has encouraged online and distance learning, but has also given leeway to students to attend schools (with the written consent of parents). Attendance, it said, must not be enforced.  

Meanwhile, states and UTs will be asked to prepare their own Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for reopening institutions, based on the SOP that will be issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education, and keeping local requirements in mind. As for colleges, the Department of Higher Education has been given the freedom to decide on the timing of opening.