Students from Class VIII can attend offline regular classes across Jharkhand from March 1, almost a year after Covid-19 induced lockdown led to closure of schools in March last year.

Significantly, the state government had allowed classes for 10 and 12 students from December 21, 2020, because of the board examinations.

The state government took the decision at a meeting of the state disaster management authority, chaired by chief minister Hemant Soren at Ranchi on Thursday late evening.

According to a circular issued by the state public relation department of the Chief Minister’s office, schools can restart classes for eighth, ninth and eleventh grades from March 1. Besides, colleges, coaching institutions, cinema halls, multiplexes, swimming pools, parks, sports events and training institutions can also resume their services from March with certain restrictions.

“Cinema halls have been allowed to operate with 50 per cent seating capacity while gatherings for fairs and sporting events have been restricted to a maximum of 1,000 people. Schools have been permitted to re-start classes for Class VIII, IX and XI with certain Covid-19 precautions. Students would be allowed in the schools with written consents from their parents and detailed guidelines will be issued by the state department of school education and literacy unit soon,” said a senior official at the chief minister’s office.

Sources said that the existing guidelines of ensuring hand sanitisation before entering school premises, written declaration by students to abide by Covid-19 protocols and maintaining social distance at classes which is being done for class 10 and 12 will continue to be adhered for other classes.

Higher education institutions, colleges, polytechnic would be reopened under the prescribed guideline from the University Grant Commission (UGC).

However, state Covid-19 guidelines, such as wearing masks and social distancing would be mandatory for all the operations.

Jharkhand Cine Exhibitor Association (JCEA) also expressed happiness. JCEA secretary Prashant Singh said, “Almost all the states in the country had allowed cinema halls to operate with 50 per cent capacity in October and November last year but it was pending in our state. We are happy to be given a new start.”