The Maharashtra government will consider reopening schools for students of classes 1 to 4 if schools can smoothly run classes 5 to 8 that are set to restart from January 27, state School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad said on Tuesday. Speaking to reporters in Parbhani city, about 515 kms away from Mumbai, the minister said RT-PCR tests of most of the teachers were conducted ahead of reopening of schools for classes 5 to 8.

"Schools have been sanitised (for reopening). We have appealed to parents to send their wards to schools wearing masks. Once we succeed in it (smoothly running the classes from tomorrow), we will consider restarting classes up to 4th standard," the minister said. After the state government gave its nod, schools for classes 9 to 12 reopened for students from November 23, 2020, nearly nine months after they had to shut due to COVID-19 lockdown, with strict implementation of pandemic protocols.