Kerala colleges to start functioning fully from Oct 18: State releases guidelines

As colleges in Kerala will start functioning at full capacity from October 18, the Higher Education Department has released guidelines for offline classes on Wednesday. On October 12, Higher Education Minister R Bindu had called a meeting of all college principals. Classes for final year students have already started from October 4. All other batches will start classes from October 18.

As per the guidelines, post graduate students can be accommodated in the same class, while undergraduates have to be divided into batches and classes shall be provided on alternative days or in separate rooms. College authorities are advised to organise free vaccination drives at the campuses for staff and students. Students below 18 and those who have taken the first dose of vaccination are permitted to attend classes only if their parents or guardians have been vaccinated.

Those who wilfully refuse to take vaccination will not be permitted on campus as per the guidelines. Students with disabilities and co-morbidities can take online classes for two more weeks rather than attending physical classes. It was informed that students not maintaining COVID-19 protocol will not be allowed on campus. The guidelines advised that it was better to conduct classes from 8.30 am to 1.30 pm. But college councils are given the freedom to choose time slots between 9 am to 3 pm, 9.30 am to 3.30 pm and 10 am to 4 pm as well.

Minister R Bindu informed that all places in the campus will be properly sanitised. She said that students will be advised not to take any study tours, as travelling is not appropriate now. The minister said that since the classes for final year students have been going on successfully, college authorities are confident to start functioning fully.