Physical classes will resume in Bengal’s medical colleges in December. The colleges will have to decide how to space out the classes and take other protective measures.

“The government has informed the colleges about the National Health Commission’s recommendation that they may open from December 1. But all college authorities have to take all protective measures necessary to prevent the spread of Covid-19,” said Bengal health secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam. “We do not want the education of medical students to suffer. At the same time the colleges have to be careful about the health and safety of students, teachers and others involved.”

“I think colleges will open gradually and by December 15 most places will begin classes,” he said.

Metro had reported on Thursday that the Union health secretary had written to states advising that medical colleges resume classes “on or before 1st December, 2020”.

Rajendra Pandey, the vice-chancellor of West Bengal University of Health Sciences, to which all medical colleges in the state are affiliated, said on Saturday that the colleges may open on different dates. “The hostels have to be sanitised. Students who live in faraway places cannot travel every day. They have to stay in hostels. Besides, the college authorities will decide which class will be held on which day. The classes have to be scheduled in a way that there is no crowding,” he said.

Pandey, also a member of the National Medical Commission, said that the commission would issue guidelines or standard operating procedures that medical colleges could follow. “The SOPs are expected by December 1 or December 2,” he said.

A Calcutta Medical College and Hospital student said that they had been informed by their college administration that “clinical postings” will begin from December 1.

“Clinical postings are visits to wards in the presence of senior doctors and professors. As they examine patients in the wards, they also teach us. We learn while seeing them in work,” said Sutirtha Bhattacharyya, a final-year student at the college.

“We will be going to the college only for clinical postings. The theory part of the syllabus has been completed through online classes,” he said.

Indranil Biswas, the vice principal of Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, said the authorities will meet next week to decide how to ask students to come to the college.

Bengal recorded 3,489 Covid-19 cases on Saturday and Calcutta accounted for 893 of them. Forty-six people died of the disease in the state on Wednesday, 16 of them in Calcutta.

Rajendra Pandey, the vice-chancellor of West Bengal University of Health Sciences, to which all medical colleges in the state are affiliated, said on Saturday that the colleges may open on different dates. “The hostels have to be sanitised. Students who live in faraway places cannot travel every day. They have to stay in hostels. Besides, the college authorities will decide which class will be held on which day. The classes have to be scheduled in a way that there is no crowding,” he said.

Pandey, also a member of the National Medical Commission, said that the commission would issue guidelines or standard operating procedures that medical colleges could follow. “The SOPs are expected by December 1 or December 2,” Pandey said.

A Calcutta Medical College and Hospital student said that they had been informed by their college administration that “clinical postings” will begin from December 1. “Clinical postings are visits to wards in the presence of senior doctors and professors. As they examine patients in the wards, they also teach us. We learn while seeing them in work,” said Sutirtha Bhattacharyya, a final-year student at the college.

“We will be going to the college only for clinical postings. The theory part of the syllabus has been completed through online classes,” he said.

Indranil Biswas, the vice principal of Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, said the authorities will meet next week to decide how to ask students to come to the college.

Bengal recorded 3,489 Covid-19 cases on Saturday and Calcutta accounted for 893 of them. Forty-six people died of the disease in the state on Wednesday, 16 of them in Calcutta.