Colleges in the rural parts of Maharashtra’s Thane district resumed classes on Monday after an extended closure of nearly 11 months due to the ongoing challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision to reopen was facilitated by an order issued on Sunday by Collector Rajesh Narvekar, specifically allowing colleges in rural areas to resume operations.
The collector’s directive outlines that only 50 percent attendance will be permitted each day, emphasizing strict adherence to all COVID-19 prevention guidelines. It also warned that actions would be taken against colleges found violating the regulations and not complying with the specified session schedules.
Notably, the regulations for colleges falling within urban limits are to be guided by the directives of the respective municipal corporation, as clarified by the collector. As the district faced 354 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, bringing the total tally to 2,57,745, the cautious approach is indicative of the ongoing efforts to balance the resumption of educational activities with the prevailing public health situation.