CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government informed the Madras High Court that physical classes for standards X, XI and XII are not compulsory but only optional, and are being held by strictly following the standard operating procedures.
Advocate General (AG) R Shanmugasundaram, representing the State during a hearing on a public interest litigation (PIL) petition, which was later dismissed, submitted before the first bench of Acting Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice PD Audikesavalu on Wednesday that the classes are held just to facilitate the students in getting their vaccines as they are going to take public examinations.
Through a notification on January 3, the government disallowed functioning of play schools and nursery schools. Later, direct classes for standards I to VIII were cancelled. Subsequently, offline classes were done away with from standards I to IX, he said.
The AG added that classes are not compulsory but only optional for the students. Classes in schools for X, XI and XII and colleges and polytechnic colleges are being held with strict adherence to standard operating procedures, he pointed out.
While dismissing the PIL as withdrawn, the ACJ said the court can’t command and take over the administration and it is the government which manages the matters.
Furnish RT-PCR result to get leave, hosp staff told
Chennai: Dean of Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital Dr E Theranirajan on Wednesday issued an order stating that faculty and other staff of the hospital should produce RT-PCR report for claiming leave for Covid. Explaining the order, Theranirajan told TNIE that it was issued to prevent many from taking leaves in view of Pongal festival. “There has been a surge in absenteeism among faculty and other staff of the hospital in view of Covid. The maximum leave allowed is only seven days from onset of symptoms,” the order further says.