Delhi govt orders re-opening of medical colleges with immediate effect as COVID-19 cases decline

NEW DELHI: The Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government in Delhi on Thursday ordered the re-opening of medical colleges under the UT Govt with immediate effect following a reduction in the number of COVID-19 cases in the national capital and assessment of the current situation.

The medical colleges will be reopened by observing social distancing & SOPs, the order issued by the Delhi government said.

"Final year students will be eligible to appear in the final year annual exams on successful training, on the passing of which they will be eligible to join as interns. Thereafter, the process will be initiated for permitting second-year MBBS/BDS students to rejoin college,'' the Delhi Government said.

"In the first instance, the first year MBBS/BDS batch will be called in a staggered manner and teaching and practical will be completed within one and a half to two months from the date of re-opening of college. Subsequently, final year students will be allowed to join college,'' the order stated.

On Wednesday, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had said that the government is planning to reopen schools only after the COVID-19 vaccine is available for the public after all the frontline workers are vaccinated.

“The state government is presently brainstorming on how early they can reopen schools keeping the board examination under consideration,” Manish Sisodia said.

In December, Delhi’s Deputy CM and Education Minister Manish Sisodia reportedly told IE that there were no plans to reopen the schools as yet. “Even if we start vaccinating people by February, we will be able to vaccinate a sizeable chunk only by July. There is no possibility of reopening schools before that. We also have to look at how examinations will be conducted without putting teachers and students at risk.”