Pune colleges finally reopen but first-day attendance remains low. Here's why

Even as colleges in Maharashtra's Pune district reopened for physical classes on Wednesday, October 20, only an average of 10 per cent of students attended lectures on the first day as only those who are double vaccinated against COVID-19 are allowed to attend. Dr Sudhakar Jadhavar, General Secretary of the Maharashtra State Principal's Federation, said,  "Almost all colleges reopened for physical classes on Wednesday. As there is a condition that only students who have taken both doses of the vaccine are permitted to attend physical classes, the average attendance was around 10 per cent."

Dr Jadhavar added that colleges were asked to collect proof of vaccination from students. "Unfortunately, the number of students who have taken both the doses of the vaccine is less," he said. A blended online-offline mode of learning will be implemented in all colleges, he added. "We had urged the government to allow colleges to permit all students to attend, like how those till Class XII have been allowed. Once students start coming to colleges, the institutions can conduct vaccination drives," Dr Jadhavar said.

Meanwhile, Dr Sanjay Kharat, Principal of Modern College of Arts, Science & Commerce, said that around 25 per cent of students attended classes in his college on the first day. "We took measures such as screening students with a thermal gun, asking them to sanitise their hands, checking vaccination certificates and ensuring physical distancing," he said.