Thiruvananthapuram: After a gap of over a year, colleges in Kerala will reopen on October 4 as per the order of the Higher Education Department (HED) of the state.
Sajukumar, Joint Secretary of HED in order on Saturday said that all institutions under the state's Higher Education Department shall start functioning from October 4 strictly adhering to COVID-19 health protocols. According to the order classes for the final semesters of degree and post-graduate courses will be started first., while the classes for other semesters will continue online.
The final year PG courses will be held with full attendance while it would be 50 percent for final year degree courses, the order said, adding that the timings can be decided by the college councils as per the space available in the institutions.
Importance should be given to practical classes for the science subjects, the order added.
The order urged respective institutional heads to ensure that the classrooms, libraries, and laboratories are sanitized well before the commencement of classes and the students follow strict COVID-19 health protocol.
The state government also asked the institutions to seek assistance from the local self-government bodies concerned, health workers, or NGOs for sanitization if needed.
"The institutions should ensure availability of an adequate number of masks, sanitizers, and hand wash facilities. Gatherings should be avoided," the order said.
It also directed the institutions to approach the health department to arrange vaccination drives for students and staff.
As part of easing restrictions, on September 7 the government had decided to do away with night curfew and 'stringent intensified' restrictions on Sundays. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had also announced that all higher educational institutions, including technical, polytechnic, and medical, would be allowed to function from October 4 for final year students.
He, however, had said that reopening of the institutions would be subject to the condition that all final year students, faculty, and staff receive at least the first dose of the vaccination.