Schools and colleges across India will be allowed to reopen from October 15 as the government tonight announced a fresh phase of lifting of Covid-19 curbs.

Cinemas, theatres and multiplexes would also be permitted to reopen from October 15 but will operate within fifty percent of their capacity, the Indian home ministry said in its latest guideline.

Business-to-Business (B2B) exhibitions will be permitted to open while swimming pools for training of sportspersons will be allowed to resume activities, the ministry said.

Entertainment parks and similar places will also be permitted to open.

The latest easing of coronavirus restrictions came on a day when India’s total caseload of the virus went past the 6.2 million mark.

A final call to reopen schools, colleges, educational institutions and coaching institutions in a graded manner has been left to different Indian states, the guideline said.

The decision to reopen schools shall be taken in consultation with the respective school/ institution management and based on their assessment of the situation.

Online and distance learning would continue to be the preferred mode of teaching and should be encouraged, according to the guideline.

Where schools are conducting online classes and some students prefer to attend online classes, they may be permitted to do so, the guideline said.

It said students would attend schools and institutions only with the written consent of their parents.

Attendance must not be enforced and must depend entirely on parental consent.

The Ministry of Education would take a decision on the timing of the opening of colleges and higher education institutions in consultation with the Home Ministry based on the assessment of the situation.