Fact Check: Has the Ministry of Home Affairs permitted states to re-open schools?

Origin:

As air travel services were resumed throughout the country from May 25, and the states ordered multiple relaxations in phase 4 of Coronavirus lockdown, morphed images of a TV news channel were forwarded on WhatsApp claiming that the Union Home Ministry has ordered to re-open schools. It further claimed that the Home Secretary has sent a letter to all the states giving permission about the same.

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Fact Check

As the image started going viral on social media, the spokesperson of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday clarified that no such orders have been issued. The Indian government has shut down all the educational institutions since it announced the lockdown on March 24, to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Even as various restrictions were eased gradually in different phases, MHA has not yet announced re-opening of schools, colleges, etc. 

The MHA took to Twitter on Wednesday and shared the screenshot of the fake claim and said: "No such decision taken by MHA. All Educational institutions are still prohibited to open, throughout the country."

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Over the last few days, a number of states have intimated that they plan to open up schools, with Tripura and Sikkim seemingly intent on a mid-June date. It remains to be seen how this works with the MHA's guidelines.

Lockdown in India

The first phase of the lockdown was announced on March 24 for a duration of three weeks. To contain the virus, the government in that phase had only allowed a handful of essential services. The Centre then extended the lockdown till May 3 but eased a few restrictions. As cases increased, the lockdown was further extended till May 17 but the focus was now given to boost the economy that was severely affected. The centre allowed several activities and various sectors were opened up, including factories and industries in areas outside municipal limits. Non- essential services were also allowed to open except in Red zones and in containment areas.

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Lockdown 4.0: The states/UTs under this phase have been given the power to prohibit restrictions in various zones as deemed necessary. 

List of prohibited activities 

1.  All domestic and international air travel of passengers barring for medical purposes, air ambulance, security and other purposes permitted by the MHA
2. Metro rail services
3. All educational institutions
4.  Hotels, restaurants, and other hospitality services except for those housing frontline workers
5. Cinema halls, swimming pools, shopping malls, gyms, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, auditoriums
6. All kind of gatherings
7. Movement of people between 7 pm and 7 am except for essential services
8. Consumption of liquor, gutka, tobacco etc. in public places

List of permitted activities:

1. Distance education
2.  Running of canteens at bus depots, railway stations, and airports
3. Home delivery of food items by restaurants
4. Sports complexes and stadiums without the presence of spectators
5. Inter-state movement of passenger vehicles and buses, subject to mutual consent of states/UTs concerned
6.  Intra-state movement of passenger vehicles and buses, as decided by the states/UTs
7. Inter-state and intra-state movement of medical professionals, sanitation workers, and ambulances
8. Inter-state movement of all types of goods/cargo including empty trucks
9. Cross land-border trade with neighbouring countries
10. All other activities which are not specifically prohibited. For instance: Shops, offices, businesses, etc. 

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