No timeline yet on reopening of schools, possibility of classes for senior students being explored
New Delhi: No timeline has been fixed yet by the Ministry of Education for reopening of schools as majority of states are not in favour of it in view of the spike in COVID-19 cases, according to sources.
While the government is looking at the possibility of starting some classes for senior students from September end or October, no final decision has been taken in this regard, they said.
"No timeline has been fixed yet as the decision will completely depend on the pandemic situation. Barring one union territory, no other state or UT is in favour of reopening schools in near future," a source said.
"Possibility of higher secondary classes in late September is being explored but there has been no final decision. Whenever it is decided, the Centre will only issue an advisory in this regard and states will have to take a call depending on the COVID-19 situation in their districts," the source added.
Universities and schools across the country have been closed since March 16 when the Centre announced a countrywide classroom shutdown as part of measures to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. A nationwide lockdown was announced on March 24, which came into effect the next day and threw economic activities out of gear.
While the government has largely eased restrictions, schools and colleges continue to remain closed.
Last month, the Education Ministry had sent out a letter to states and Union Territories to furnish a feedback from parents of schoolgoing children as to when they would be comfortable with reopening of schools August, September or October 2020.
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6 women dead, 8 persons injured as bus rams into van in Gujarat's Sabarkantha
Sabarkantha (Gujarat) (PTI): Six women were killed and eight other persons injured after a private bus crashed into a van on a highway in Gujarat's Sabarkantha district on Wednesday, police said.
The van was ferrying women from Modasa in Aravalli district when a speeding bus hit it from behind on National Highway 48 connecting Shamlaji to Himmatnagar in the district, Deputy Superintendent of Police A K Patel said.
According to police, the women were part of a catering team for social events. They were travelling from Modasa in the neighbouring Aravalli district to Hunj village in Himmatnagar to attend a function when they met with the accident.
Six women passengers of the van were killed, Patel said.
Seven other women and the van driver suffered injuries, according to police.
The injured persons were rushed to the Himmatnagar civil hospital. The condition of two of them was critical, the hospital's medical officer, Dr Dhrupad Chauhan, said.
The bodies were sent to a government hospital for a postmortem.
VIDEO | Gujarat: Six persons were killed and four others injured after a private bus rammed into a van on a highway in Sabarkantha district on Wednesday, police said.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 29, 2026
The van carrying passengers was on its way from Shamlaji to Himmatnagar when the speeding bus hit it from… pic.twitter.com/Gvr79LfCvi
