BHUBANESWAR: The higher education department on Friday issued detailed guidelines for degree colleges and universities regarding the suspension of physical classes and examinations in view of Covid-19. Department secretary Saswat Mishra in a letter to vice-chancellors of universities and principals of degree colleges coming under the jurisdiction of higher education department said classes should be held online mode to complete the syllabus in time.
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The director said the examinations and physical classes (both theory and practical) will be suspended with effect from April 19. A revised examination schedule will be communicated later on after consulting with vice-chancellors and principals. The department said hostels will be closed down and the borders will be asked to vacate the hostels by Monday. All higher educational institutions will function with 50 percent strength of teaching and non-teaching employees with effect from Monday. Head of these institutions will decide the rotational roster duty arrangement in such a manner that the office work and academic/administrative functions do not suffer.
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The teacher will conduct online classes from their institution or home depending on the roster duty arrangement. The teaching and non-teaching staff when not on roster duty will work from home to perform their duty and should be readily available at the headquarters to physically come to their institution for any urgent matter. On Thursday, the state government had issued an order saying that physical, theory and practical classes and examinations in all higher educational institutions will remain closed with effect from April 19. These institutions can take online classes in order to complete the syllabus in time. Like higher educational institutions, all technical or professional institutions under the jurisdiction of the skill development and technical education department will also be closed with effect from Monday. All hostels/residential accommodations of technical educational institutions will remain closed from Monday till further order
COURTESY – TOI