Odd-even to rotational classes: Kashmir colleges reopen to new normal

Photos: KM/Umar Ganie

Srinagar: Colleges in Kashmir valley on Monday saw a semblance of pre-Covid times with the resumption of offline classes.

After remaining shut for the most part of 2020, both teachers and students said they were glad to be back in college.

“It is a moment of happiness for us. The entire staff is happy that students are back for offline classes. We have followed all the SOPs in letter and spirit and sanitized the entire campus. We have not allowed anybody without masks. We even gave masks to students that did not have the same. We have put sanitizers at several places in college premises,” said Dr. Masood Ahmad Malik, a faculty member at the Government College for Women, Maulana Azad Road.

While some colleges were found following the odd-even formula, Malik said they have resumed classes on a rotational basis.

“We are not following odd-even formula, but we have kept two days reserved each for students of second, fourth, and six semesters. This is on an experimental basis and we will see the response,” he said.

While the Government College for Women, MA Road will have classes on a rotational basis, Amar Singh College principal Prof. Bashir Ahmad Rather said they were following the odd-even formula based on the roll numbers of students.

He said students with odd roll numbers would attend classes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Similarly, Rather further said students having even roll numbers will attend classes on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. The college too is presently having classes for the second, fourth, and sixth semesters.

Joyous scenes were witnessed among the students as well at the colleges.

“We are happy that classes have resumed after such a long time. We faced lots of problems during online classes last year in 2G speed. But, we are glad to be back. We pray that the pandemic gets over completely,” said Aroosa Masoodi, student of Government Women’s College.