On Thursday, Maharashtra Higher and Technical Education Minister Uday Samant has said that colleges in Maharashtra will not open from November 1. Colleges will re-open only after Diwali.
The decision will only be taken in consultation with Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray along with the Task Force on Covid-19. This announcement of the Education Minister came after the announcement of the reopening of schools for standards 8-12 in urban areas and 5-12 in rural areas.
“We plan to restart colleges with due care so as not to increase the incidences of Corona. The academic year starts from November 1. However, in the past, it was misunderstood that colleges would start from this date onwards. UGC and AICTE say colleges should start from November 1. However, since we have Diwali at that time it will not be possible for us to restart the colleges,’’ Samant said.
He also said that the consent of parents will NOT be needed once the colleges are reopened. It will NOT be mandatory for students to attend physical classes either.
“There is still fear in the minds of students and parents about the Coronavirus pandemic. Therefore, after considering all the factors a final decision will be taken,” he added.
