COVID-19 positive students can write Karnataka CET examination: Health department releases SOP

Students have to inform officials well in advance and get a physicians letter. While a 108 ambulance will transport these candidates between hospital and exam centre.
(For representational purposes) Officials checking the body temperature of the students arriving at the KEAM 2020 exam centre in Kozhikode. (Photo | EPS)
(For representational purposes) Officials checking the body temperature of the students arriving at the KEAM 2020 exam centre in Kozhikode. (Photo | EPS)

BENGALURU: Despite the clamour against the Karnataka CET examination 2020, the government has come out with protocols, to ensure that even COVID positive candidates are not denied a chance.

Students have to inform officials well in advance and get a physicians letter. While a 108 ambulance will transport these candidates between hospital and exam centre.

The health department's standard operating procedures which were released on Saturday stated that those tested positive with COVID will be given a special hall to write the CET exam.

Halls will be sanitised after the exam. Precautionary measures for staff handling such students have been informed about their protocols.

For those who come from containment zone, their halls should be cleaned with 1 per cent sodium hypochlorite within 30 minutes of their departure and the room can be used only after 24 hours, it added.

Students who are coming from other states and countries are relieved from the mandatory two weeks quarantine. A special exam hall has to be given to them and preventive measures have to be taken.

The health department has sought coordination of various levels of officials from the departments to enforce this under their respective deputy commissioner.

The examination remains scheduled for July 30 and 31. Students are expected to be present two hours in advance and are allowed to carry their tiffin boxes along.

Three feet distance is mandated in the exam hall, ensuring only two students per bench, and the strength of the hall should not exceed 24 students.

Students have to be informed about their seats arrangement well in advance, to avoid gathering at the notice board, noted the notification by the health department, that highlighted basic hygienic practices. All students are expected to wear a mask.

At Least one additional centre is to be identified in each district and kept as a backup. And in Bengaluru, four such centres should be reserved. In case a centre falls in the containment zone, the students will be shifted to the reserve centre after consultation with the DC.

50 surgical masks should be given to every exam centre, and are to be bought using the natural disaster management fund.

Students from containment areas will be kept in special rooms, given surgical masks and supervisors of the hall will be given gloves and surgical masks. The room should be chemically disinfected after the exam of the day.

Those officials and staff of the CET should be trained by the deputy commissioner, ZP CEO and Superintendent of Police and district health officer.

SOP

  • No exam centre should be in the containment.
  • No exam centre should be converted as a quarantine facility
  • Each centre should be sanitized three days before the commencement of the exam and also after every exam, toilets should also be sanitised and liquid hand wash, sanitiser should be kept for students.
  • Gathering of parents and students should be discouraged near/at the centre, physical distancing should be maintained in the course of the exam. Only students and staff are allowed into the premises of the exam centre
  • Students will be allowed to carry their own water bottle.
  • Atleast one hall per centre should be earmarked for those coming from containment zones and those having covid-like symptoms
  • Chief supervisor of the exam centres should ensure that no staff is symptomatic
  • Invigilators and supervisors will receive gloves and surgical masks
  • Health checkup kiosks that start at 8 am will be setup for every 200 students and be equipped with thermal scanner and first aid box. Two paramedical staff will be deployed at every exam centre.
  • One ambulance should be stationed for emergency at the taluk and district level

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