While schools and colleges will continue to remain closed for regular activities during Unlock 4, students of classes 9 to 12 may be permitted to visit their schools subject to the written consent of their parents or guardians.
The Ministry of Home Affairs issued guidelines for Unlock 4.0 on Saturday with more relaxations and opening up of more activities in areas outside the containment zones. Despite the rising cases of coronavirus in the country, the relaxations mark the gradual opening of the economy that has been facing a huge crisis due to the pandemic and the subsequent lockdown.
While schools and colleges will continue to remain closed for regular activities during Unlock 4, students of classes 9 to 12 may be permitted to visit their schools that are in areas outside the Containment Zones on a voluntary basis, to take guidance from their teachers, said the MHA on Saturday.
This will be subject to the written consent of their parents or guardians.
The MHA further clarified that skill or Entrepreneurship training will also be permitted in National Skill Training Institutes, Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), Short term training centres registered with the National Skill Development Corporation or State Skill Development Missions or other Ministries of the Government of India or state governments.
"National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD), Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE) and their training providers will also be permitted," said the MHA guideline. All these will be allowed post September 21 for which SOPs will also be allowed.
Meanwhile, higher education institutions only for research scholars like PhD and post-graduate students of technical and professional programmes requiring laboratory or experimental may also be allowed. But these will be permitted by the Department of Higher Education (DHE) in consultation with MHA, based on the assessment of the situation, and keeping in view incidence of COVID-19 in the States and UTs.
What’s allowed and what's not in Unlock 4.0
While open-air theatres will resume operations from September 21, cinema halls, entertainment parks, and similar places will continue to remain closed.
Live sporting action will be allowed to resume from September 21. The latest guidelines say, "Social/ academic/ sports/ entertainment/ cultural/ religious/ political functions and other congregations will be permitted with a ceiling of 100 persons, with effect from 21st September 2020. However, such limited gatherings can be held with the mandatory wearing of face masks, social distancing, provision for thermal scanning and hand wash or sanitizer."
There shall be no restriction on inter-State and intra-State movement of persons and goods. No separate permission/ approval/ e-permit will be required for such movements.
Metro rail will resume services from September 7 in a ‘calibrated manner’.
International air travel, except as permitted by MHA, to remain suspended.
However, the lockdown will continue to be implemented strictly in the Containment Zones till September 30, 2020.
The government further said that Containment Zones shall be demarcated by the district authorities at a micro level after taking into consideration the guidelines of MoHFW with the objective of effectively breaking the chain of transmission. Strict containment measures will be enforced in these containment zones and only essential activities will be allowed, adds the MHA.
The MHA has categorically said that states will not impose any local lockdown, at the State, district, sub-division, city or village level outside the containment zones, without prior consultation with the Central Government.
(With IANS inputs)
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