Please see below the latest updates from key South Asia markets on the situation on the ground with regards to the Covid 19 pandemic. These are highly dynamic and will frequently change. Do get in touch on the email below if you have any questions. Bangladesh, Pakistan and India are now on the UK's red list of travel ban countries, though students with valid visas will be allowed to travel and will need to follow quarantine and testing guidelines.

INDIA:

• Currently India is going through a second wave and Covid 19 cases are increasing at an alarming rate, with lots of states either already in or going into curfews and lockdowns (short term or long term varies from state to state). Vaccine drive is underway and open from 1 May to all citizens above the age of 18 years.
• Domestic Flights are allowed to operate with no major changes and international flights are allowed to fly within air bubble arrangements only.
• Schools and colleges are correctly all closed with online classes taking place.
• School exams for standard 12 final year students have been postponed for ICSE and CBSE. State Boards too have postponed their local board exams. Some universities have offered UG students online exams such as Anna University and this will vary form State to state, though delays seem inevitable. https://education-services.britishcouncil.org/news/market-news/india-school-final-exams-postponed
• While the situation is unclear, normal resumption of classes is not on the cards right now. Most states are preparing to implement NEP in coming months and there could be big changes underway in the education sector.

BANGLADESH:

• Given the surge in new infections and deaths from the virus, the government on April 5 enforced a nine-day lockdown shutting offices, shopping malls and transport across Bangladesh. This has now been extended till April 28. 
• Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), on April 11, suspended operation of all international passenger flights to and from Bangladesh for a week from April 14 following government guidance and instruction. The ongoing suspension of international flights to and from Bangladesh has been extended for another week, following the government's decision to extend the strict "lockdown" amid a spike in Covid-19 infections and deaths.
• However, special flights to Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, UAE, and Singapore will continue so that several thousand expatriate workers who have remained in the country since April 14 can return to their workplaces in those five countries.
• Earlier on April 15, following the suspension of international flights from April 14, the government decided to operate around 100 special flights to Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, UAE, and Singapore in a week from April 17.
• All the educational institutions across Bangladesh closed.
• As Covid-19 has taken a turn for the worse again in Bangladesh, the government asked the Cambridge International Examinations, not to conduct the forthcoming O Level and A Level examinations that scheduled for April.

PAKISTAN:

• The country is currently facing the third wave of Covid-19 which has resulted in the Government taking a number of precautionary measures including reduced business hours, closure of education sector from classes 1 to 8, inter-city transport closure on weekends etc. The average number of daily cases is around 5K and the number of active Covid-19 cases is around 90K across the country. The vaccination drive has started with Government as well as private labs and hospitals providing these vaccines.
• International flights are allowed in country, however, travellers from countries listed in Category C are barred from entering the country. People coming from Category A and B have to provide a negative Covid-19 test on arrival and their contact details as well.
• Schools from Class 1 to 8 are closed across the country. Classes for 09-12 grades have started. Where the positivity ratio is less than 8%, the HEIs are allowed to do f2f teaching.
• All exams this year so far are expected to be f2f and will happen as scheduled between May-July. We will inform the sector if this changes. 

NEPAL:

• COVID-19 infections continue to spike in Nepal and at current rate, 600,000 could be infected by June/July, projects MoHP (WHO Media Monitoring, 14 April 2021). 1,856,549 people received the first dose of COVISHIELD across the country. 
• Cabinet meeting has decided to ban public gatherings of more than 25 people; all the schools, colleges, training centres and tuition centres are required to suspend their physical classes and switch to online delivery until 14th May. The ongoing or scheduled examinations of the educational institutions can take place following GoN health protocols. We are delivering IELTS in a controlled fashion following Government guidelines and School exams are scheduled to run as planned.
• Country borders remain open, with limited commercial international flights available. Negative PCR report before 72 hours of travel required before travelling. For tourists, PCR test to be done immediately after arrival in Nepal: if the result is negative no quarantine required and if positive quarantine to be done at designated hotels. For other visa holders, quarantine mandatory for 10 days.

SRI LANKA:

• There is a spike in cases and the government has issued a red notice due to the rising number of positive cases.
• Airports are open and travellers have to go through the 14 day quarantine process, and flights are operational between UK and Sri Lanka.
• Schools and colleges are open and universities will open from 27 April 2021
• Exams were completed such as A/L and O/Ls but there was a delay of several months due to the current situation

For any questions write to aatreyee.guhathakurta@in.britishcouncil.org