Regular classes for Karnataka SSLC, PUC 2nd year students from January 1

Regular classes for grade 10 and second-year Pre-University Colleges (PUC) in Karnataka will resume from January 1, as announced earlier, the state government said on Wednesday.

The government's assertion came amid concerns over the coronavirus pandemic even as a new variant has been detected in the UK.

The state government has announced regular classes for Class 10, second pre-university and Vidyagama programme for government school students from class six to nine from January 1.

Vidyagama scheme is aimed at taking school education to the door steps of students in rural areas who cannot afford to attend online classes due to various reasons.

Karnataka Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar said holding regular classes was not a matter of prestige for him but an obligation of his department to ensure that everyone gets education.

"From January 1, classes will resume. There have been speculations for the past two days, but whatever programmes we have planned from January 1 will go on," he told reporters after a meeting with the officials.

There is no hard and fast rule to attend the regular classes, said Kumar adding if the parents and students are comfortable with the online classes they can study from home.

He recalled the Karnataka High Court's query to the government as to why regular classes cannot take place for other grades as well.

Suresh Kumar quoted Union Health Minister Dr Hars Vardhan who had said that there was no need for anyone to panic but insisted upon taking all necessary precautions.

"Our state has enough strength and arrangements to face the challenges that we may face in the coming days," Kumar said.

He added that his department will abide by the suggestions given by our Technical Advisory Committee members.

The primary and secondary schools and pre-university colleges are shut since the COVID-19 lockdown in March.

(With PTI Inputs)