Bengaluru: Covid committee recommends starting class 10, 12 in January

Bengaluru, Dec 3: The Covid technical committee has recommended to the government to start classes for 10th and 12th standard from January. It has also said that there is a possibility of the second coronavirus wave hitting the state during January and February. These recommendations have put the government in a quandary. On the basis of earlier report of the said committee, a high level meeting chaired by chief minister, B S Yediyurappa on November 23, had decided not to open schools in December. The chief minister had said that the meeting will again be held during the third week of December and a decision will be taken based on the committee recommendations. The committee has also recommended holding of 1.25 lac tests everyday till February, continue with restrictions on large gathering at festivals, religious, political and other programmes, keeping ambulances, ICU and ventilators ready during first week of January, imposing of night curfew between 8 pm and 5 am from December 26 to January 1. It also said that as Covid second wave is expected in January and February and as the infection has not completely returned to normalcy in Bengaluru, night curfew has to be extended to other parts too. The committee said that the second wave can be identified by keeping an eye on increase of infection over a seven day period, increase in the number of tests over expectations without changing methodology of tests, doubling the number of admissions in hospital and number of cases increasing over a period of two to three weeks. It said that the low level of infection may remain for a month. SSLC, PU examinations in June-July? In all likelihood, the final examinations of SSLC and PU, which are normally held in March or April, may get postponed to June or July next year. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, schools have not opened so far in this academic year. Online classes started late. Therefore, experts have recommended to postpone the examinations. Whether the government will accept the recommendations of the experts committee will be known in the coming days. The education minister is holding meetings to gather opinions about opening of schools now. The government has also to take into account the possibility of second wave of the pandemic. Some sources say that the department may open schools if the second wave does not happen in January. Even if the schools are started, the students have to listen to classes and revision classes have to be held. Therefore it is felt that it may not be practicable to hold the exams in March-April 2021. (Source: Daijiwrold)