Colleges resume offline classes in Kashmir

SRINAGAR — Amid dip in COVID-19 cases, colleges reopened in the valley on Tuesday. Students dressed in uniforms and carrying vaccination certificates were seen thronging their institutions in Srinagar.

The State Executive Committee released an order on Sunday, saying all universities, colleges, polytechnic institutes, ITIs, and classes from 9th to 12th can commence their routine offline teaching by following Covid Appropriate Behaviour and standard operating procedures from February 14.

On Monday, the attendance in both private and government high colleges was low, but it was expected to pick up in the coming days. Some of the institutions have not yet resumed offline classes and are likely to resume activities in a day or two after making the necessary arrangements.

Meanwhile, the authorities at the Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) have also notified that the varsity would resume the course work in all departments, centres and colleges in the offline mode from February 21.

“However, all the faculty members of the university should resume their duties from February 16 and teaching in online mode should continue as usual till the resumption of offline classwork,” the IUST notice reads.

Also, the Islamia College of Science and Commerce Srinagar has also scheduled the resumption of undergraduate and postgraduate courses in a phased manner from February 19. As per the college notification, the classwork for all PG programmes would commence from February 19 followed by the offline classwork of UG courses from February 21.

“College is working out a detailed academic plan for on-campus studies for all UG and PG programmes wherein due consideration will be given to adherence to COVID Appropriate Behavior and conduct of classwork in a structured manner with no academic loss to students,” the college notice reads.

The college administration has directed all the students enrolled in UG and PG programmes to submit the latest vaccination status, which would be subject to e-verification, through the dashboard option after an authenticated login using their respective username and password.

“The option will be activated from February 15 and will remain open up to February 17,” it reads.