Fighting coronavirus: 14-day quarantine must for NRI students going to Kerala for exams

All non-resident Indian students who are planning to take the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) in Kerala should undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine ahead of the exams, the Government of Kerala said in an official advisory on Tuesday.
However, for students who have not arrived in Kerala 'early enough' to write the exams shall remain in home quarantine upon arrival. The advisory said: "On the day of the exams, students shall follow a 'sanitised corridor' as described in the advisory issued on August 12."
A sanitised corridor is a 'red channel' that has to be maintained by the student and guardian to and from the quarantine place or containment zone.
Exam organisers have to assign a separate classroom for these categories of students. "The sanitised corridor will be maintained in the examination centre, as well as the examination hall. Large signboards must be placed in the institution so these categories of students do not come in contact with other students," according to the advisory.
For students and parents who want to leave Kerala less than 14 days from the date of their arrival, quarantine procedures must be observed and the sanitised corridor should be followed throughout their stay in the state. It said: "They are not allowed to visit any family or public places or come in close contact with anyone in Kerala without completing their 14 days of quarantine."
Exam procedures for students with Covid-19 symptoms
An exam procedure has been devised for students who have Covid-19 symptoms. "Those writing the exams with mild symptoms should be seated in a separate room for writing the exam and, after the writing the exam, students must reach out to healthcare authorities," said the circular.
Those who have not completed the quarantine period must also be sitting in a separate room other than the room for symptomatic students.
Such students must also contact the institution beforehand and inform authorities of their status.
As the JEE, NEET 2020 examinations are scheduled to take place in September, the National Testing Agency has also issued several guidelines for the candidates.
Masks will be provided at the centre
Students are not required to wear a face mask and hand gloves while taking the exams, but they are instructed to carry a personal bottle of water and hand sanitiser to the exam centre. Social distancing must also be maintained.
Apart from these items, only the 'admit card' will be allowed inside the examination centre. The candidate will be required to remove the mask he or she wore from home and "use the mask provided at centre only".
Before entering the exam hall, each student will have to wash their hands with soap and water. Hand sanitisers will be available at various locations at the centre.
dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com 

Dhanusha Gokulan

dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com