Before starting colleges from November 17, Karnataka govt formulates SOPs.

Key points:

1.  After a nearly eight-month break, degree, engineering, and diploma colleges in the state reopen from November 17.
2. Social distance will have to be preserved during the classes according to the health department’s guidelines.
3. The time table will have to be planned by colleges in such a way as to allow social distancing, he added.
4. After the lockdown in March, Karnataka’s schools and colleges have remained closed.

On Monday, the Karnataka government said it had formulated standard working protocols to be in effect when, after a nearly eight-month break, degree, engineering, and diploma colleges in the state reopen from November 17.

In a tweet, Deputy Chief Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan, who holds the higher education portfolio, said that the SOPs have separate advice for first, second and final year students according to UGC guidelines, according to which classes will be held.

Students wishing to physically attend classes in the final year will have to provide a letter of consent from their parents in the specified format, he stated.

Social distance will have to be preserved during the classes according to the health department’s guidelines.

Narayan said, if possible, teaching, practical and project classes should be done on a shifting framework.

However, communication classes should be held every day if students choose to attend online classes to help them explain any questions and solve their problems.

The time table will have to be planned by colleges in such a way as to allow social distancing, he added.

Based on each time or session, the teaching faculty should prepare the study material needed for one month and send it to students by WhatsApp, telegram, or email.

Throughout the form of video lectures, e-notes, e-books, PowerPoint presentations, audiobooks, practice questions, etc., these research materials should be Uploading the same study resources to the college website is also necessary, he said.

In addition, all students who attend online or contact courses, except those in their final year or seeking postgraduation will stay in hostels located on or off-campus.

In addition to these, the SOPs also have common guidelines on cleaning houses, entrances, furniture, sanitary teaching materials, teaching faculty COVID-19 exams, students, as well as non-teaching staff, Dr Narayan said.

After the lockdown in March, Karnataka’s schools and colleges have remained closed.