College, university campuses not to reopen immediately in Bengal: Education Minister

 Colleges and universities in West Bengal, closed since mid-March due to COVID-19 outbreak, will t reopen campuses immediately, Education Minister Partha Chatterjee said on Wednesday. vice chancellors urged state government to allow institutions to conduct classes and exams of odd- semesters on online mode till March, Chatterjee told reporters after a meeting with VCs.

VCs said, since a month's time is left (for completion of exams) for odd-semesters (like 1, 3, 5, 7) let us continue with online mode. government agreed to ir proposal. varsities also communicated to government about ir inability to reopen hostels immediately due to pandemic situation,  minister said.

About request by guardians and or stakeholders to take a quick decision about modalities of 'even semester' acemic activities, he said, possibility of elections being held in April and poll schedule clashing with semester classes and exams also figured in discussion with VCs.

"y said a decision based on mutual discussion, considering all aspects, will be taken up by m. government left decision to m, saying students should t be inconvenienced," he said.

With online classes in vogue, students and faculty in all higher educational institutions are grually getting used to it and some varsities have also helped students so that y can participate in classes without any difficulty, Chatterjee said.It was also decided that laboratories will be kept rey for use by PhD researchers on case-by-case basis, minister said.

To ar question about reopening of state-run and state-aided schools for beginning classes in higher gres from February 12, Chatterjee said, "We will issue specific tification about reopening of schools for higher classes at appropriate time." "That tification will give every details - about measures and how many students will be allowed at a time," he ded.

Earlier, spokesperson of West Bengal Vice- Chancellors' Council (WBVCC) said after meeting minister that laboratories of institutions will be opened for benefit of research scholars.

Several VCs told minister that with COVID-19 pandemic still raging, and students from outside Bengal and abro studying in many universities and colleges here, it will t be feasible to eir reopen hostels or campuses just yet. minister concurred with our views.

"refore, it was decided that classes and semester exams should continue to be held through virtual mode at present," spokesperson said.