All degree colleges across Kashmir division reopened on Monday amid strict COVID-19 guidelines with the students hoping for incident-free year.

The academic schedule of educational institutions was disrupted, first in 2019 following the abrogation of the Article 370, and then 2020 which was swept by the Covid-wave.
With the coronavirus seemingly on the retreat, government has decided to open the educational institutions. At many colleges, students were being screened at the entrance and those without facemasks were not allowed into the premises.
Most of the colleges have made adequate arrangements for adherence of COVID-19 protocol, including availability of hand sanitizers at the entrances of the institutions.
However, the educations institutes witnessed partial attendance even as many parents expressed concern over the safety of their children in view of COVID-19 pandemic.
All educational institutes, including schools, colleges and universities, operated barely for two weeks in the 2020 academic session before the COVID-19 pandemic forced a country-wide lockdown bring life to a grinding halt.
At the premier Government Women's College on Srinagar’s MA road, students were seen maintaining social distancing and wearing facemasks while attending the classes.
“We are very happy that our regular classes have started after over a year. We have lost a lot in terms of academics in 2019 due to unrest post abrogation of special status of J&K and then in 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic,' Shazia, a Women's college student, said.
She said that she is very excited to meet her friends and teachers, whom she hadn't seen for a very long time. 'Besides education, we also missed on extra curricula activities, including sports, which is an important aspect of overall development of a student,' Shazia said.
She hoped that the current academic session passes off without any problem so that students can work to fulfill their dreams. Similar, views were expressed by other students.
Officials said that the physical class work for students in Kashmir colleges resume on Monday. 'Even though attendance was not 100 per cent, we are hopeful that full attendance will be achieved in coming days after the parents are satisfied with the arrangements which have been put up in colleges,' they said.
They said sanitisation of college premises and other precautionary measures have already been taken care of by the Education Department.
All the educational institutions, including schools, colleges and universities, in J&K were closed in March last year in view of COVID-19 outbreak.
After remaining shut for almost the entire academic session last year, degree colleges in Kashmir reopened on Monday amid partial attendance of students and strict COVID-19 SOPs put in place by the government.
The institutions operated for barely two weeks in the 2020 academic session before the COVID-19 pandemic enforced a country wide lockdown in March bringing life to a standstill.
The curtains officially came down on the session after the Higher Education Department announced the winter vacation for J&K colleges- from December 26 –January 4 in Summer Zone and December 28-February 14 in Kashmir and Winter Zone Jammu.
With the pandemic relatively calming down, the department on January 28, announced to open the institutions in the respective divisions without any further delay albeit with strict adherence to COVID-19 SOPs, especially social distancing and wearing of masks.
Authorities had on Wednesday announced classes for different semesters on rotational basis. Many colleges have scheduled 2nd semester classes on Monday and Tuesday while those of 4th semester will be held on Wednesday and Thursday and 6th semester classes on Friday and Saturday.