The school education department issued a Government Resolution (GR) on Tuesday permitting city schools to reopen from August 17, but Mumbai has to wait for a while. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has said that they would wait until after Diwali to see how the situation unfolds and take a decision on reopening schools thereafter.

As per the GR, in-person classes can start for Std VIII-XII in urban areas, and for rural areas permission has been given for Std V-VII. In rural areas, the higher standards have already resumed classes as part of the phase I of reopening schools. Even as the GR permits reopening of schools under the ‘Back to School’ movement, the final decision has to be taken by local civic bodies by forming committees. In Mumbai, the committee will be headed by the BMC commissioner and comprise of three other officials from the medical and education department and ward level.