IIT-M and the Tamil Nadu National Law University, however, have decided to continue classes and exams until there is a specific announcement from the government.
As Tamil Nadu tightens its vigil over novel coronavirus, many colleges across the state have declared holidays till March 31.
SRM Institute of Science and Technology, the Central University of Tamil Nadu and National Institute of Technology, Trichy have closed their campuses and instructed students and faculty members to return to their hometowns. They have also restricted travel to foreign countries for the faculty members and students during the shutdown and have also asked them to not entertain guests who have recently returned from abroad.
Vels Institute of Science, Technology and Advanced Studies and Vellore Institute of Technology have also declared holidays till March 31 in the wake of the COVID-19 scare.
The move to shut down colleges comes shortly after the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister announced holiday for all students till class 5 across the state till March 31. However, some higher educational institutions are yet to suspend classes since the state government has not issued any specific orders, as per reports.
The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) and the Tamil Nadu National Law University (TNNLU) have decided to continue daily classes and exams.
In TNNLU, two students have been isolated within the campus as they showed symptoms of COVID-19. When the students sent a representation to the administrators, outlining the situation and requesting them to consider suspending classes and closing the doors, they have been told that the institution will not be shutting down till it receives an order from the government of Tamil Nadu.
Meanwhile, the government of Tamil Nadu has notified the regulations for COVID-19. The regulations outline the responsibilities of the hospitals, individuals and government officials engaged in diagnosing, treating and containing COVID-19.
The regulations empower hospital authorities to forcefully admit anybody suspected to have coronavirus infection, and the District Collectors to order restrictive measures like sealing off an area and banning vehicular entry to a particular locality, among other measures. It also bars private laboratories in the state from collecting and testing samples for COVID-19.
Source: The News Minute