Karnataka govt decides to reopen colleges on Nov 17, students allowed to chose offline, online modes

The decision in this regard was taken during a meeting convened by Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa in Bengaluru on Friday.

CM Yediyurappa meets top officials of higher education, and related departments in Bengaluru to discuss reopening of colleges. (Express Photo)

The Karnataka government Friday decided to reopen undergraduate and postgraduate colleges across the state on November 17. The decision in this regard was taken during a meeting convened by Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa in Bengaluru on Friday.

After the meeting, Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashhwathnarayan said, “Offline classes will resume across engineering, diploma and degree colleges in the state from November 17. However, students will be allowed to chose to attend offline, online, or blended learning sessions while parental consent will be necessary for those opting for the offline mode.”

#Karnataka govt decides to reopen colleges (engineering, diploma, degree) from Nov 17. Students can choose to attend offline, online or blended learning sessions. Batch strength to be decided based on registration, Dy CM @drashwathcn says. @IndianExpress @ieeducation_job (1/2) pic.twitter.com/vkyftRPuks

— Ralph Alex Arakal (@ralpharakal) October 23, 2020

Ashwathnarayan, also the Higher Education Minister, added that practical classes will be given priority to begin with. “Batch strength will be decided based on prior registration. Task forces will be deployed across colleges to ensure Covid-19 and related guidelines are in place and are implemented,” he added. He cited the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) consent to begin classes from November 1 backing the government’s decision taken amid the ongoing pandemic.

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Further, the government has decided to issue clear guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOP) to conduct offline classes depending on the response from the students and other stakeholders of the system.

“While task forces will be constituted at each college, Deputy Commissioners will head district-level task forces to ensure smooth functioning of classes,” a higher education department official added.

Earlier on Friday, CM Yediyurappa had met top officials of higher education, health, transport, social welfare, backward class, finance departments in Bengaluru to discuss the same, in the wake of the ongoing pandemic situation in the state.

Ashwathnarayan also explained that various related decisions were also taken during the meeting, to provide hostel and transport facilities to the students as well, complying with Covid-19 guidelines in place.

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