Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Wednesday decided to allow reopening of hostels for the students of Classes X and XII of the schools under its various departments from July 26.
Keeping the COVID-19 pandemic in view, the School and Mass Education Department in a notification has issued a standard operating procedure (SOP) for the reopening of the hostels.
According to the notification, the hostels managed by the School and Mass Education department, the ST & SC Development department, Minorities & Backward Classes Welfare department, Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities department will be reopened.
Apart from this, the English medium school hostels managed by the private agencies will also be reopened, it added.
Also Read: Is It The Right Time For Reopening Schools In Odisha? Know What Experts Have To Say
It may be noted that the Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Dr Balram Bhargava on Tuesday had approved the reopening of primary schools (Classes I to V) saying younger children have “much better ability to handle the virus than the adults”.
He had also said that the primary schools should be opened before students of Classes IX-XII are asked to return to the school.
Also Read: ICMR Chief Gives Nod To Reopening Primary Schools, Says ‘Kids Handle Infection Better
