COVID-19: Tech institute, ITI exams to continue in Punjab

The Punjab government has allowed the technical institutes and industrial training centres to hold their examinations as per the original schedule, two days after announcing closure of all educational establishments till March 31 over the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The technical education department has revised the old order to clarify that the examinations in the universities/engineering colleges/polytechnic colleges/industrial training institutes would be held as per the earlier schedule.

"Earlier, the Punjab government had decided to close all technical educational institutes in the state till March 31 as precautionary measures to prevent spreading of coronavirus. But on Sunday, this order has been partially amended," an official spokesperson said in a statement.

The technical education department has issued new amended orders, which are applicable to the all government/private engineering colleges and polytechnic colleges, the I K Gujral Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar; Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University, Bathinda.

Meanwhile, the state government closed heritage museum Virasat-e-Khalsa in Anandpur Sahib for the visitors till further orders, a spokesperson of the Tourism and Cultural Affairs Department said.

He said this decision had been taken as precautionary measure to prevent spread of the deadly coronavirus.

Only a positive case has been reported after man, who returned to Hoshiarpur from Italy, tested positive for COVID-19. He is currently admitted to the government medical college in Amritsar and his condition is stable, according to a statement.

Two facilities in Amritsar and Mohali with 500 beds have been established for quarantine of passengers coming from China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, France, Spain and Germany.

The state government had on Friday ordered closure of all universities, colleges and schools till March 31 as a precautionary measure against the pandemic. It also ordered closure of cinema halls and banned public gatherings, including cultural events, till further orders.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has assured the people of the state that there was no need to panic, adding that his government was taking all measures to prevent the spread of the disease.

According to Union Health Ministry, the number of novel coronavirus cases in the country rose to 107 on Sunday, with Maharashtra reporting the highest, followed by Kerala. The cases include two persons who died in Karnataka and Delhi.