Even though colleges across Mumbai were touted to resume classes from Monday, February 15, educational institutions are at a standstill due to non-disclosure of any decisions with regards to the same by the civic body.
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal speaking about the same stated that the administration is still pondering over the decision and is yet to make a final announcement regarding the same.
Last week, State Minister for Higher and Technical education Uday Samant announced that colleges can reopen starting February 15 with not more than 50 per cent people on campus at any given time. On February 5, Mumbai University (MU) released a circular stating the guidelines as prescribed by the University Grants Commission (UGC) on the phased reopening of colleges. Moreover, the circular issued by MU also made it clear that institutions located in containment zones should not be allowed to reopen, which partially explains the decision to require approval from the collector’s office before bringing the students back.
As Samant stated that the concerned universities should start colleges with the consent of the local authorities, the universities have also been advised to prepare guidelines for the phase-wise reopening of hostels and conduct safety audits of the hostels.
The state government had earlier given permission to the authorities for starting colleges, the guidelines for which have been issued by the Central and State Government, which the universities will have to follow strictly in view of the outbreak of the coronavirus. However, without any decision undertaken by the civic body as of now, colleges in Mumbai await the phased reopening of educational institutions.
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