Maharashtra: Govt makes 100 per cent attendance compulsory for all teachers to conduct final-year exams

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Dr Tapati Mukhopadhyay of Maharashtra Federation of Universities and Teachers Organizations said, “At a time when gathering is being discouraged and Covid-19 cases are on a rise, the government wants teachers to attend colleges in full strength. Since the exams will be held online, why should teachers unnecessarily come to college?”

“Also, many colleges do not even have proper infrastructure (to ensure safety norms are followed). We will be signing a mass petition against this,” she added.

Meanwhile, the department has also formed a 16-member task force to study all aspects of the National Education Policy (NEP). The committee, which will be presided by Vasudha Kamat – a member of the Kasturirangan committee that formulated the NEP – is expected to submit a report to the government within three months. The committee has been mandated to present interim reports on subjects of immediate importance.

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The department, in another notification, announced government’s approval to merge institutions started under the same management from academic year 2020-21. This comes after the All India Council of Technical Education allowed institutions offering diplomas, degrees and postgraduate degrees in technical and management courses to merge.

Age criteria

From 2021-22 academic year, the minimum age for children to be enrolled in playgroups or nursery will be 3+ years, whereas for class I, the minimum age will be 6+ years, the School Education department said Friday. The cut-off date for the academic year will be December 31.

Earlier, the cut-off date was September 30. The rule will have to be followed by schools affiliated to all boards, it said.