New Delhi: Ministry of Home Affairs issued guidelines of Unlock- 5.0 on Wednesday. The Home Ministry in its guidelines allowed states/ UTs to take a call on reopening of schools in graded manner after October 15^th while cinemas, theatres and multiplexes can function at 50% seating after the same date.

These relaxations allowed outside containment zones. Students, however, will be given the option of attending online rather than physical classes if they so prefer and schools may not enforce attendance. A call on opening of higher education institutions is to be taken by the Educational Ministry based on an assessment of the situation with no dates set out in the guidelines.

There are no changes in rules regarding air and train travel. There is a strong reiteration that local lock downs will not be imposed outside containment zones without consulting the MHA.

Cinemas, theatres and multiplexes have been permitted to open with upto 50% of their seating capacity in non- containment zones from October 15^th, while swimming pools can be used from the same date but only those for training of sports persons.

Other activities allowed from mid- October under the fresh guidelines effective from October 1^st to 31^st, 2020 include opening of entertainment parks and similar places as well as conduct of business to business exhibitions. Mainly, social, academic, sports, entertainment, cultural, religious and political functions can be held after October 15^th with a ceiling of 200 person in closed spaces, subject to a maximum 50% of the hall capacity.

In open spaces, crowds may be allowed depending on the size of the ground. In both situations, wearing of face masks, social distancing, provision of thermal scanning and use of hand wash and sanitizer will be mandatory. To ensure that such gathering do not spread Covid- 19, states and UT Goverments will be required to issue detailed SOPs and strictly enforce them. The relaxation on political gatherings is set to help parties and candidates to get on with physical campaigning for the upcoming polls in Bihar and by- polls to one Lok Sabha and 56 Assembly seats.

For reopening of schools and coaching institutions, Government may take decision after October 15^th in consultation with the respective school or institution management, based on their assessment of the situation. However, online learning will continue to be preferred mode of teaching and students may attend schools only with parental consult also after discussions between schools and administrations.

Attendance therefore will depend entirely on parents’ consent. Higher education institutions for research scholars and post graduate students in science and technology stream requiring laboratory or experimental work can open from October 15^th. The Centre will decide on opening the centrally funded higher education institutions and State Governments will take a call for State Universities and private universities.