The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has directed all the states and autonomous institutional bodies such as the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT), the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to revise the academic calendar due to the 21-day lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus. 

They have been to work on an alternate academic calendar. B.V.R.C. Purushottam, Private Secretary to HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank said, “On the orders of the minister, we sent a circular to all the states and autonomous bodies last night. It was based on the orders of the MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs).”

Schools affiliated to the CBSE traditionally begin their new sessions in the first week of April but this pattern will have to be change this year as schools cannot reopen during that time.

In case of higher education institutions, most institutes ensure a break in May after finishing exams by April while the new session begins between late July and early August. Hence, they have also been asked to revised the academic calendar.

According to sources, discussions are on to consider the lockdown as a vacation period for schools and start the new session once the situation returns to normal.

The government has also asked CBSE, the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), and the National Testing Agency (NTA) to work on a revised schedule of entrance exams. New exam dates for Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) and National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET) are yet to be announced. 

As per orders sent to the states and autonomous bodies, officers are required to work from home. “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.”

Source: The Print