The Jammu and Kashmir State Executive Committee (SEC) on Sunday announced the lifting of the night curfew after almost six months and opening of educational institutions in a phased manner beginning Monday amid a decline in COVID-19 cases. The SEC also increased the attendance at indoor gatherings to 50 per cent of the authorized capacity against the previous 25 per cent, while cinema halls, theatres, restaurants, clubs, gymnasiums and swimming pools were permitted to function at 25 per cent of the authorized capacity with due precautions.

Announcing the guidelines on Sunday after a fresh review of the COVID-19 situation, the SEC, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary A K Mehta, said all universities, colleges, polytechnics and ITIs shall commence routine offline classes teaching from February 14. “All the students between 15-17 age group coming to attend regular offline classes must carry a vaccination certificate with them. The heads of the institutions must ensure that guidelines related to social distancing and Covid-appropriate Behaviour are strictly followed, including regular screening at the entrance to the institution.

“They shall also screen any symptomatic student and ensure their testing to contain any possibility of spread of the virus in their institutions,” Mehta said in a five-page order issued here. The order said all Summer Zone Schools in Jammu and Kashmir will open in a phased manner. “Classes from 9th to 12th can commence routine offline teaching from February 14. All the students of 15-17 age group coming to attend regular offline classes must carry a vaccination certificate with them,” the order stated.

It said the head of the Institutions must ensure vaccination of every student above 15 years of age in their respective Institutions. The SEC said the offline mode of teaching for remaining junior classes in Summer Zone schools shall begin from February 21, a step which will allow students to attend their schools after a gap of over two years.

In Winter Zone schools, the offline teaching for all classes will commence after February 28. These schools in Kashmir and parts of Jammu region are currently closed owing to the winter vacation. The schools in snow-bound areas of Kashmir and parts of Jammu fall in the category of Winter Zone, while rest of the areas in Jammu province are covered under the Summer Zone.

“Coaching centres for civil services/engineering/NEET are permitted to adopt offline mode of teaching subject to condition that both faculty members as well as students are fully vaccinated and the head of the centre ensures due precautions such as CAB and adherence to SOP,” the order stated. The order made no mention of the night curfew, which was in force across Jammu and Kashmir over the past six months, indicating that it had been lifted, days after the administration ended the weekend restrictions.

With PTI Inputs