5 days to go, colleges still await nod to restart
MUMBAI: Despite the state government announcing that colleges can reopen starting February 15, colleges are still waiting for permission from local civic authorities. According to the reopening guidelines shared by the University of Mumbai (MU) on February 5, colleges should get permission from the local collectors’ office and as yet, no such intimation has been received by any college.
“All department heads at our college got together recently and we have chalked out a plan to ensure bringing back staff and students in a phased manner. A letter to this effect has been sent to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) as well as the local collector’s office, and we are waiting to hear from them before announcing re-opening of the institute,” said Neha Jagtani, principal in-charge, RD National College, Bandra. She added that the institute has decided to first start calling back final-year students who need practical classes, then slowly move on to first and second-year students.
Last week, state minister for higher and technical education Uday Samant announced that colleges can reopen starting February 15 with not more than 50% people on campus.
On February 5, MU released a circular of guidelines on reopening of colleges. Colleges have been asked to give first preference to PHD and research candidates and final-year students to attend physical lectures, while continuing online lectures for the rest of the batches.
The circular also stated that colleges in containment zones should not be allowed to start at present, and therefore, the university has asked for colleges to seek permission from the collector’s office before reopening.
“Ever since the state government and the university declared about reopening of colleges, we have been receiving calls from students and parents. Many are still unsure if they should be sending their children to college. And we are currently helpless because we cannot start the college until the local authorities notify us,” said the principal of a south Mumbai college,
Meanwhile, a handful of colleges with hostels are still waiting to hear from the government. “Our hostel was used as a quarantine centre by BMC. While it is vacant at present, we need a clear signal from the local collector before we sanitise the premises,” said Dr RK Srivastava, professor, Sydenham Institute of Management Studies, Research and Entrepreneurship Education.