Bhubaneswar: With the improvement in Covid-19 situation in the State, the Government has allowed reopening of medical colleges and other medical course institutions in the State with certain conditions.
The medical colleges and other institutions of teaching like veterinary, nursing, pharmacy and physiotherapy colleges will reopen amid strict adherence to a set of guidelines.
Additional Chief Secretary, Health, PK Mohapatra wrote a letter to the DMET, Odisha, in this regard.
Institutions imparting teaching in nursing, pharmacy, physiotherapy and occupational therapy, public health and other paramedical and allied medical science courses will also reopen soon.
As per the decision, all theory classes continue in online mode while practical and clinical classes will be held with 50 percent capacity. Besides, the institutions have been asked to segregate fully vaccinated and unvaccinated/incomplete vaccinated students to different batches for clinical and practical classes. The theory classes are to be continued online.
The Practical/Clinical classes and examination should be taken in small groups with 50 percent capacity, to ensure social distancing. The students must have to submit written permission from their parents or guardians.
The institution shall make provision for screening of the student for COVID symptoms while entering the practical halls / clinical wards, Mr.Mohapatra said.
“It will be mandatory for all students to adhere to the COVID appropriate behavior- use of mask in the campus, hand washing, use of sanitizers, social distancing, avoiding crowded places,” the ACS said.
Fully vaccinated and unvaccinated/ incomplete vaccinated students should be segregated to different batches for clinical & Practical classes. The institution should start a vaccination drive for students and college staff in coordination with the local health authority, he said.
The incomplete vaccinated / unvaccinated students if allowed in the hostel shall be segregated into separate blocks. They will not be allowed into the library. Separate areas must be earmarked in the dining facility for this group, as per the guidelines.
Examination to be conducted for different batches in succession with adherence to the COVID appropriate behavior and use of more number of examination halls for theory examinations, said he.
The college authority will also ensure regular screening of the Students in hostels for COVID symptoms and facilities for COVID positives / suspected cases for isolation /Quarantine. No academic/ social /religious/sports activity will be allowed for the students on campus.
The administrative blocks /office will remain open on all working days as per the government guidelines, he stated.
The COVID positive students will not be allowed to sit in the examination but will appear in the next scheduled examinations (Annual/Supplementary). This dropout will not be reflected in the chance certificates to be issued by the college authority subject to the production of the laboratory proof (Rapid Antigen / RT-PCR positive test report) of infection during the examinations dropped, he added.