Due to the Covid-19 lockdown, the HRD Ministry is going to revise the academic calendar of schools and colleges; following the order of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the 21 days lockdown to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
Henceforth, a circular was sent by the HRD minister on Tuesday to all the autonomous bodies as well states regarding the academic calendar. The circular was sent to bodies such as the University Grants Commission (UGC), the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT), the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). They are asked to work on the alternate academic calendar as per the circulation.
the order sent to states and autonomous bodies read:
“In compliance of the order dated 24.3.2020 issued by MHA, all offices of MHRD and its autonomous institutions and subordinate offices shall remain closed for a period of three weeks. However, all officers and staff shall be working from home as per the said order,”
The Academic Calendar
As per the tradition, the schools under CBSE start their new sessions in the first week of April and summer vacations start in May or June depending on different schools and classes. The routine is going to change now as the school can’t reopens in April’s first week for the lockdown.
Entrance exam schedule to be revised
CBSE, the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), and the National Testing Agency (NTA) were asked for a revised entrance exam schedule by the Government. As of now, only the JEE has been rescheduled and announced; yet no new declaration of rescheduling other entrance exams comes under announcement. As stated by MHRD, the order was sent to the states and autonomous bodies. Though officers may work from home, yet all the autonomous bodies will remain closed for three weeks; as per the latest order.