Despite the growing demand for reopening schools, data from areas in the state where schools have reopened in August shows only a marginal increase in numbers (schools and students), from that of July. Figures indicate there still is a lot of apprehension about schools reopening from parents in sending children. But many from the education sector believe that this is all the more reason to start drawing a road-map for all classes in cities too, as all are likely to take cautious gradual steps toward reopening.

After schools were allowed to reopen last month in rural areas of Maharashtra for stds VIII to XII, only 34.55 per cent of them reopened, which was 12,725 from a total of 36,835 schools.