After releasing the standard operating procedure (SOP) for the reopening of schools, the government has now announced the precautions that the Higher Education Institutions need to follow for restarting classes. The SOPs have been released for skill training and technical institutes offering courses that need to conduct laboratory work.
“IIT Madras has allowed research students to use the laboratories in the campus following regulations given out by Tamil Nadu government. The students have to follow 14 days of quarantine before joining the classes,” says V Jagadeesh Kumar, dean, IIT Madras.
The courses for the undergraduate and postgraduate classes has been designed with theories and no practical lab learning is mandated as of now. The institutes are waiting for state government’s decision to resume class for all the courses in the campus.
“Tamil Nadu government has ordered all educational institutes in the state to remain shut till September 30. Students at our institute will return to classrooms in phased manner, once the state and the central government gives directives. With the present infrastructure, hostel capacity and classroom size, it will not be possible to bring all students to campus in one go. Currently, only research students who require practical training are allowed in the campus” he adds.
Following the new normal, IIT Kanpur is also conducting classes for this semester via online mode. The remote learning will continue till November end for undergraduate and first-year Masters’ students.
“Institute has made elaborate plans for the PhD and second-year Masters students to resume their research work in three to five phases. The first batch of PhD students will arrive in September end. All the students will undergo mandatory quarantine for 14 days and will resume their research work in the lab. The students who do not wish to return have been permitted to work from home for this semester,” says Abhay Karandikar, director, IIT Kanpur.
Sona College of Technology, Salem, has planned to conduct blended classes. Around 50% of the students will attend classes through virtual mode while the other half will learn at the campus. The training activities will be organised in a staggered manner to avoid overcrowding.
“We have allowed students from PhD programmes requiring laboratory and experimental works to attend classes by following strict guidelines indicated in the SOP. The management will ensure that all students and teachers at the campus are wearing masks throughout the conduct of the teaching. Students will not be allowed to share items like laptops, notebook, stationary etc,” says SRR Senthilkumar, principal, Sona College of Technology, Salem.