Mumbai, August 6: Physical classes will start from August 17 for standards 5th to 7th in rural areas and 8th to 12th in urban areas, the Maharashtra government said on Friday. School education minister Varsha Gaikwad made the announcement after a meeting with senior officials here.

“In the rural areas where classes of standards 8th to 12th had already started, those of standards 5th to 7th will also resume. In the urban areas where no physical classes were being held, those of standards 8th to 12th will be restarted first," Gaikwad said. This would be implemented only in the areas where COVID-19 infection figures are consistently low, she told reporters. Maharashtra To Reopen Schools for Class 5 to 8 in Rural Areas, Class 8 to 12 in Cities From August 17.

"Committees will be formed for each area and it will decide whether to open schools for various classes or not," she added. Classes for standards 7th to 12th are already allowed in the districts with low infection rates. Most of these districts are in Vidarbha and Marathwada regions. But this concession was not extended to urban areas such as Mumbai and Pune because of higher number of COVID-19 cases there.

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