New Delhi (NVI): The Union Health Ministry today issued revised standard operating procedure (SOP) on preventive measures to be followed while conducting examinations to contain the spread of the virus.
The revised guidelines by the Health Ministry asked all universities, educational institutions, examinations conducting authorities and examination centre to make arrangements for the safety of students. Also, it asked the students to adhere to the social distancing norms and use face cover masks to contain COVID-19 spread.
“Only those examination centres which are outside the containment zone shall be allowed to function. The staff/examinees from containment zones shall not be permitted,” said the revised SOP.
Such examinees should be given an opportunity to undertake the examination through other means or the Universities/Educational Institution/Agency may consider appropriate measures in this regard, it added.
The guidelines advised the universities to avoid overcrowding at any examination centre on any day. “Educational institutions should have adequate room capacity to ensure proper seating arrangement for examination,” it said.
Meanwhile, appropriate arrangements for personal protection gears such as face covers, masks, and hand sanitisers shall be made available by centres to the staff as well as students as per requirements.
There should be enough entry and exit gates for students and staff shall be ensured to avoid overcrowding and maintain social distancing of a minimum of 6 feet, when queuing up for entry and inside the centre as far as feasible, the SOP stated.
In the revised guidelines the ministry asked that, all staff that is at high risk (older employees, pregnant employees and employees who have medical conditions) shall not be deployed for invigilation or conduct of examination.
“Such staff should preferably be deployed in tasks not requiring direct contact with the students,” it added
The guidelines further said, institutions may adopt contact-less processes like OR code, online forms, digital signatures for the examination.
Also, for the transportation purposes of students, vehicles need to be sanitised and mandatory hand hygiene needed to be practised, it said. The guidelines ordered that only asymptomatic staff and students shall be allowed to enter the exam centres and that too after thermal screening.
Apart from this, the ministry prohibited spitting and advised them to install and use the Aarogya Setu App.
-RJV
