“I am very much excited and looking forward to coming back to my college premises. I shall be meeting my friends, have one-on-one interaction with my teachers personally. In fact yesterday during my one of the on-line classes, I saw my teacher in classroom and out of zeal, I sent her message that I wanted to meet her in offline classroom when college re-opens,” expressed Aishwarya Verma, a student of MA (English Literature) in Hislop College. As promised by Uday Samant, Higher and Technical Education Minister, the colleges are re-opening on Monday after a gap of almost a year. Every year, institutions celebrate vacations and re-open. But this time it was a long gap of one year haunted by coronavirus pandemic.

 

Though State Ministry came up with Government Resolution regarding re-opening of colleges, Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University issued the circular, according to colleges, many things are unclear. They include in what way classes are to be conducted, what is the meaning of 50% attendance etc. Secondly, the Ministry has put an onus on the institutions giving them liberty to operate taking the situation of coronavirus in their respective areas into account. Considering what GR says, Dr Smeeta Wanjari, Treasurer of Amar Seva Mandal that runs Wanjari Group of Institutions, has decided not to re-open the colleges fully. “The COVID-19 cases are alarming and we are taking utmost precautions. We are not in favor of complete functioning of colleges. We will keep conducting on-line classes for some time and gradually start the off-line classes,” Dr Wanjari made it clear. Dr Shrirang Altekar, Professor and Director of Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, has welcomed the decision and said, “Of course people should take all care, as the coronavirus cases are on rise. We have taken all measures.

 

We have prepared a complete book of guidelines and given them to our students. They need to follow those strictly. “ Some of the guidelines prepared by Symbiosis Institute at Nagpur include staggering arrival of students, institute-wise, into the campus. RT-PCR negative test report is mandatory and has to be sent to our Health Centre before arrival to the campus. On clearance, report to hostels. UGC guidelines are being followed in letter and spirit, along with University guidelines. All classrooms have been sanitized completely. Not more than 50% of students will be in class at any given time. Timetables have been scheduled accordingly.

 

For students who have opted not to come to campus, as well as those students who are not in class, arrangements have been made to share the lectures on-line at the same time. The 14-day quarantine inside the campus will be followed strictly for hostel students. Masks have been made mandatory for teachers and students. A welcome kit consisting of mask and sanitizer will be given to each student.” Ministry had already issued the letters regarding colleges’ re-opening to every institutions. It has asked the institutions to be in touch with the District administration to have clear idea about running the off-line classes. Sunil Raisoni, Chairman of Raisoni Group of Institutions, personally monitored the preparedness for the re-opening of the colleges.

 

“We have several colleges in our ambit. I have personally monitored the arrangements in classes. I have gone through the guidelines issued by Government as well as university and would abide by those.” Dr Sanjay Kavishwar, Dean, Commerce and Management of RTMNU said, “The guidelines issued by University and State Government have stressed upon the following of COVID-19 norms which we have done. We have sought directions from district administration. Because we can’t be casual. At Tirpude Institute of Management Education (TIME), we will be running classes as per the Government’s formula of 50% capacity.

 

The classes would be run in batches. Unlike schools, in case of colleges, the authorities have not asked us to seek parents’ consent/” Dr Kavishwar also holds the post of Dean (Academics) and Professor at TIME. According to Dr Feroz Haidry, Head, Post Graduate Department of Urdu, Vasantrao Naik Government Institute of Arts and Social Sciences, off-line classes are the need of the hour. “Students’ interaction with teachers is very necessary, it has good academic element. In on-line classes neither we feel satisfied nor students. Offline classes are the best option,” stated Dr Haidry. Agreeing to what Dr Haidry said, Aishwarya Verma said, “On-line classes never yield the required results. Many concepts remain unclear. Of course getting adjusted to off-line classes requires time. We have not received any clear communication from the college, nor there is timetable. On first day I shall just go out of excitement.”