Teaching and non-teaching staff of degree colleges and universities have demanded the state government to allow commute by suburban train services without any time restrictions. College staff said the time slot is a small window which will waste their entire day in long hours of waiting.
Professors said before jumping into the decision of reopening offline lectures the state government should first allow all students and staff to commute by local trains without any time restrictions. Jasminder Bambara, a professor said, "I complete conducting lectures by 10 am every day. But now, I will have to wait for another two hours because I am permitted to board the train only between 12 pm to 4 pm, how does this make sense?"
Recently, the state government resumed local train services in Mumbai allowing common people to travel in specific time slots only from the start of the day's services to 7 am, then from 12 pm to 4 pm and later from 9 pm till end of the day. Currently, only those engaged in essential services are allowed to commute between 7 am to 12 pm and from 4 pm to 9 pm.
Meena Kadam, a non-teaching staff of a Chembur college said, "I reside at Kalyan so I have to change two trains to reach the college at Chembur. I get done with work at 5 pm. But now, I will have to wait till 9 pm to board the train in order to return home. This is ridiculous because my entire day will be wasted."
On Wednesday, the state higher and technical education department directed degree colleges and universities in Maharashtra to reopen offline with 50 per cent attendance from February 15, 2021. But the state has not provided any clarity on resuming suburban train services for students, teaching and non-teaching staff without specific time slots. In addition, there is no provision yet for Covid-19 vaccination and RT-PCR tests of students and college staff announced by the state government.
The Principals of degree colleges and universities have pointed out at practical drawbacks in resuming offline lectures following the direction of the state higher and technical education department. Colleges said that the 50% attendance provision is not feasible because each class will have to be divided into four batches instead of two as there are around 120 students per class.
On Wednesday, Uday Samant, state higher and technical education minister had announced, "Degree colleges and universities in Maharashtra can resume offline lectures with 50% attendance on a rotational basis from February 15, 2021. Colleges and universities will have to maintain all Covid-19 SOPs, safety protocols, and distancing measures."
In response to this direction, principals of degree colleges said that there is no space to accommodate one student per bench in a classroom. Zarine Bhathena, principal of Bhavan's College, Andheri (west), said, "We have 120 students who use 50 to 60 benches and desks in a classroom. But now, if one student is made to sit on a single bench leaving an empty bench in between to maintain distancing then we might need additional benches and desks. Also, there is no space in the classroom for additional benches and desks."
In addition, colleges said that the 50% attendance provision will not work because they will have to divide the class into four batches. Marie Fernandes, principal of St Andrew's College, Bandra said, "Even if we follow the 50 per cent attendance rule and call 60 out of 120 students at a time, it will still lead to crowding. We will have to call 30 students per class on a single day."
Demand for vax and Covid tests
Professors of degree colleges and universities have demanded Covid-19 vaccination and RT-PCR tests as the state government has not given any direction on it. Neerja Balakrishnan, a professor said, "How can the state expect teaching and non-teaching staff to resume their work at colleges without any measures for vaccination or RT-PCR tests? If RT-PCR tests were conducted for school teachers then college and university professors should be tested on priority too."
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