Calcutta HC takes up pleas seeking schools, colleges reopening; government analysing COVID situation

KOLKATA: Three petitions seeking resumption of physical classes in educational institutions of West Bengal were taken up by the Calcutta High Court on Thursday.

The state government told the division bench presided by Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava that it was willing to reopen schools and colleges, but a call would be taken once the COVID-19 situation is properly analysed.

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Hearing of the petitions, filed by a teacher, a student and a lawyer, were adjourned till February 14, when the state will be informing the court on its plan to reopen the educational institutions. The petitioners, claiming that long closure of the institutes was affecting education of students, prayed for a direction to the state government on reopening of schools colleges and universities for physical classes.

Schools and colleges in Bengal have largely remained shut since March 16, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Institutes had briefly opened in November last year only to close down again as number of infections started soaring across the state.