BHUBANESWAR: After the reopening of schools for Class X and XII students, the State government has decided to reopen Medical Colleges and institutions of paramedical and allied medical sciences from August 2.
Additional Chief Secretary of Health PK Mohapatra said the Medical Colleges and other institutions of teaching like veterinary, nursing, pharmacy and physiotherapy colleges have been allowed to reopen with certain conditions.
While the theory classes will continue online, the medical institutions have been allowed to conduct practical and clinical classes and examinations at 50 per cent capacity. The Director of Medical Education and Training (DMET) has been asked to closely monitor the reopening process, he said.
The decision of reopening classes was taken following the decline in Covid cases in different parts of the State. The students will have to submit written permission from their parents or guardians to attend the classes.
The Health and Family Welfare department has issued a guideline directing the institutions to make provisions for screening of the students for Covid-19 symptoms and segregate fully vaccinated and non-vaccinated or partially vaccinated students for practical and clinical classes.
As per the guidelines, the institutions will have to start vaccination drives for students and college staff in coordination with the local health authorities. The administrative office of these institutions will remain open on all working days.
While the academic, social, religious and sports activities have been banned on the campuses, the students must have to adhere to Covid-appropriate behaviour - use masks, wash hands and avoid crowded places.
The Covid positive students will not be allowed to sit in the examination. They can appear in the next scheduled examinations (Annual/Supplementary), but the dropout will not be reflected in the certificates to be issued by the college authority subject to the production of the laboratory proof (rapid antigen or
RT-PCR positive test report) of infection during the examinations dropped, theguidelines added.
Meanwhile, the state reported 1,615 new cases and 65 more fatalities taking the tally to 9,74,132 and cumulative death toll to 5,768.