STATE COLLEGES TO REOPEN FEB

15 Colleges in Maharashtra will reopen from February 15 with 50 per cent attendance in view of the Covid-19 protocols currently in place. The rule of minimum attendance of 75 per cent for students will be waived this year because of the pandemicinduced lockdown, Higher and Technical Education Minister Uday Samant announced on Wednesday. However, not all hostels would reopen that day as some were still being used as quarantine centres, he said. The minister noted that the colleges will have to strictly follow the standard operating procedure (SOPs) with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic.