GUWAHATI, Dec 4 - The Assam government on Friday notified the standard operating procedure (SoP) for reopening of hostels in educational institutions of the state from December 15, under which boarders will require consent from their parents.
Hostels will reopen only for final-year students of engineering colleges, degree colleges, polytechnics and universities, and at residential schools for classes 10 and 12 of both government and private schools, as well as coaching and training institutes.
Before the reopening of hostels, rapid antibody tests will have to be carried out for superintendents, wardens, hostel supervising officers, cooks and helpers engaged in management of hostels, and preparation and serving of food among the students. The entire hostel has to be sanitized before reopening.
�In respect of students willing to come and stay in hostels, consent will have to be obtained from parents in writing. Rapid tests will have to be conducted among teachers and students before entering the hostels,� the SoP guidelines said.
Students will have to report to hostels in a phased manner. They will be accommodated in dormitories in alternate beds � keeping one bed vacant between two students by reducing the number of inmates in each dormitory to 50 per cent as per the requirement. Beds which are not to be occupied are to be properly labelled.
Signage and messaging at prominent spots should be ensured relating to COVID-19 precautions and protocol. Initial preference for rejoining hostels will be given to students who do not have any support at home and no facility for online education.
