With a continuous drop in the number of COVID cases in Uttar Pradesh, the state government had planned to allow the functioning of schools and colleges in complete strength. Bidding farewell to an 11-month halt on regular lessons, offline classes at the university and college campuses across Lucknow were revived for all students on Monday. Though on-campus classes have resumed for pupils of the higher education institutes, the option of online lectures has still been kept open.
Colleges to ensure complete adherence to COVID protocol
The state government had already allowed colleges and universities to conduct classes with 50% strength on alternate days in November last year. Now, as the virus loosens its grip with a dripping infection rate, the higher education institutes will conduct physical classes allowing complete attendance. With the resumption of offline classes for all students, the state administration has issued directives to make sure that all safety protocols related to COVID-19 are adhered to. Colleges have to ensure that sufficient measures to implement social distancing and sanitise classrooms are undertaken in addition to keeping a strict check on the usage of masks and sanitisers by students.
Online option to facilitate outstation students
In alignment with the state government orders, Lucknow University had directed all its 180 affiliated colleges to resume offline classes. While the educational institutes will allow any student who wishes to attend on-campus classes now, the option of online participation is being kept open for the ones, wary of the virus. This option shall also facilitate outstation students, who have not returned back to the city after the lockdown given their inability to find rented accommodations.
Most of the college administrations have planned that the online option shall be gradually done away with, mandating the offline presence of all students, as the situation eases. It is to be noted that colleges that are in the process of conducting examinations shall revive offline classes once the ongoing tests get concluded.
