THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The higher education department has issued detailed guidelines for partial reopening of colleges in state, scheduled on October 4. The guidelines say postgraduate classes can run in full strength.
Degree class should organized either on alternative days by splitting the total number of students in a class to two or on a regular basis by splitting students into different batches.
The order recommended different time schedules, from which college council can chose the convenient one. However, the most desirable schedule, said the order, would be the one from 8.30am to 1.30pm. Other alternative schedules are 9am to 3pm, 9.30am to 3.30pm and 10am to 4pm.
Timetable has to be prepared in such a way that students will get total 25 hours of instruction, including both off and online, in a week. Classes for other semesters should continue offline. The daily six hour classes in engineering colleges can continue.
Both teaching and non-teaching staff are expected to report on duty at colleges. However, their presence at colleges should not affect the online classes. By ensuring the number of teachers required on campus for offline classes, work-from-home option may be given to a specific number of teachers.
Attendance should not be insisted for mothers with kids less the one year old, pregnant women and those suffering from terminal illnesses. Hostels should be open and Covid protocol should be strictly followed on campus. Institutioncentric vigil committees should be framed.
For free vaccination drive, college councils are supposed to contact respective medical officers or the nearby vaccine centres.
