At the British Council, the health and safety of all our visitors, staff and the communities in which we operate is our top priority. We support and cooperate with all local government agencies to put all necessary measures in place to ensure the continued well-being of all with whom we engage in the course of our operations. This post is to keep UK institutions updated on key South Asian markets amidst the Covid-19 outbreak.

For travel advice, please refer to FCO updates, and we would encourage institutions who are considering travelling to sign up for alerts - https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice. We also strongly encourage visiting local government health websites to stay abreast of the prevailing health advisory and precautionary measures in any country. For IELTS test arrangements as a result of Novel Coronavirus precautions, please see  https://www.ielts.org/news/2020/changes-to-ielts-test-arrangements-in-some-locations-due-to-novel-coronavirus. THough it's important to note the IELTS indicator has now been launched. Click here for more details.  

We are monitoring the situation very closely and will continue to provide updates as the situation develops. For more South Asia updates, webinars, market insights and other services in international higher education, please continue to visit the IES website.

Bangladesh

To prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government of Bangladesh called for nationwide general holiday from 26 March 2020 which is continuing till date. All international passenger flights have been suspended until 30 April 2020.

Education

• To combat the crisis all educational institutions are closed since 17 March.
• The Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC)/equivalent examination was scheduled to start on 22 March but has been postponed until further notice. Both Cambridge International and Pearson Education announced not to hold any school examination for the May-June Session 2020.
• The government is promoting online classes and accordingly many schools and college are taking trying to adopt this practice. For primary and secondary level students, the lessons are being telecast on the state-run TV channel.
• On 23 March, the University Grants Commission (UGC) Bangladesh requested the universities to conduct online classes but barred examinations or examination tests. The universities who already had the infrastructure were already conducting online classes, while others are still working to develop online platforms.
• Considering the context of Bangladesh, during the month of Ramadan, the educational institutions usually remain closed and as Ramadan is starting from later this week, the universities are expected to conduct online classes after Ramadan, i.e. early June.

India

On 14 April 2020, Indian government announced an extension to the nationwide lockdown till 3 May 2020 which began on 25 March. There is restriction on public mobility and gatherings, trains, flights and other public transportations have been suspended across the country. 170 districts across several States have been identified as hotspots and may extend the lockdown further. There will be limited and phased vehicular movement in some states.

Travel restrictions continue for commercial domestic and international flights till 3 May. Cargo flights will operate. All visas to India are suspended with exceptions for diplomats and other officials.

Read more at the links below:

https://boi.gov.in/content/advisory-travel-and-visa-restrictions-related-covid-19

https://boi.gov.in/content/advisory-travel-and-visa-restrictions-related-covid-19-0

Education

•  A 7 member committee has been formed for Covid19 contingency plan for higher education sector - alternate academic calendar, ways to conduct exams, vacation and result schedules. The committee has recommended the academic session should start from September 2020. Another committee was formed to suggest measures on online education. It has suggested to conduct online exams if universities have means and infrastructure or to wait till lockdown is over. MHRD will issue guidelines next week after studying both the reports and considering feasibility and COVID-19 situation.
• The CBSE board will soon announce new exam dates for pending subjects for 10^th and 12^th classes which will be conducted shortly after lockdown ends in India. The board has also decided to increase the number of examiners so that results can be announced on time. Exam date sheets will be published by the board as soon as MHRD (the Ministry of Human Development Resources) approve it.
• Cambridge exams at grade 12 cancelled.
• Currently many schools and colleges have started classes online to varying degrees of success
• Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) have clarified that they have neither cancelled nor given dates for rescheduling yet, since the last announcement of postponing exams for 10 and 12 standards till 31 March. Most schools have started online classes across all levels. 
• MHRD (Ministry of Human Resource and Development) has advised schools to promote students of classes 1- 8 to next the class/ grade. For classes 9 and 11, institutions who have not completed examinations, evaluation and promotion are advised to promote students to next level based on performance in class tests. Read more here.
• Most college and university exams currently stand postponed. Except, Kerala may start university exams from 11 May.
• As per an announcement by the MHRD on 27 March 2020, use of its digital educational resources has tripled in a week since access to the SWAYAM resources been made free, which was earlier time bound and required registration. It is interesting to note that students from other countries like USA, UAE, Germany, Nepal, Singapore, Canada, United Kingdom and Australia are also utilising the SWAYAM repository. Read more here.
• To address mental health and well-being of students who might have faced panic and stress, the UGC has requested HEIs to take measures like helpline numbers, regular monitoring of students and formation of COVID 19 help-groups in hostels. UGC has also provided toll- free number and few links related to mental health and well-being, which can be shared with students by respective HEIs. You can read more here.

Nepal:

In light of COVID-19, Nepal Government extended the nationwide lock down from April 15 until April 27 and all international flights have been suspended until April 30.

Education

• Nepal Examination Board had postponed Secondary Education Examination (SEE), and annual examination of grade 11 and 12 which were to start from March, late April and early May respectively until further notice.
• British Council Nepal cancelled all IELTS exam including Life Skills and UKVI from 21 March until 15 May 2020. However, when the current situation improves and testing becomes possible again, we will be able to offer CD IELTS in the first instance
• Cambridge Assessment International Education cancelled its examination of May/June series.

Pakistan:

COVID-19 cases in Pakistan continues to rise and has gone over 10,000 cases. The Government of Pakistan has extended the lockdown till end of April and restrictions imposed on public gatherings, assemblies and educational institutions would continue. All domestic and international flights remain suspended, however, the Civil Aviation of Pakistan announced a set of special flights to bring stranded citizens around the world back to Pakistan. The cases are expected to peak in May and the Government is expected to take stricter measures if they fail to contain the virus.
 

Education:

• All educational institutes in Pakistan will remain closed till 31 May 2020. The local secondary and higher-secondary school examinations have been postponed till June and July 2020 respectively. Cambridge International’s May/June session of GCE and IGCSE have been cancelled altogether. Junior and Lower secondary schools have decided that they will not be taking exams any longer. The students will be promoted to the higher classes.
• The state-run-television channel called “Teleschool” was launched this week and would run classes from grades 1-12 from 8am to 6pm.
• The Higher Education Commission of Pakistan has instructed all universities either to switch to online teaching or abandon the ongoing semester. During the third Vice Chancellors Committee meeting held on 21 April, the university heads reviewed the progress on universities’ readiness to offer online classes to avoid academic loss. Vice Chancellors have expressed their full commitment to making online classes and e-learning a success. The meeting, conducted online was attended by all Vice Chancellors from across the country. The HEC has instituted a technical support committee (TSC) to help universities’ staff adapt to the online mode of education. TSC will also assist in deploying the Learning Management System (LMS) in universities to resume online education.
• Some students have raised concerns regarding the cost of internet and in response, telecom companies on instructions from the government have agreed to lower the cost of internet packages. A mixed response to online classes are keeping institutions from making a firm decision on examinations.

Sri Lanka

The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 infections in Sri Lanka has been on the rise since the lockdown which started on 16 March 2020.  There has also been a sudden increase in the number of patients in the past few days with more areas being put under complete lockdown.  The Ministry of Health has decided to expand PCR testing capacities to 13 institutes including selected private hospitals.

The National Association for Professionals in Tourism (NAFPT) along with Tourist Police Division of Sri Lanka has launched a campaign for foreign tourists who are currently stranded in Sri Lanka due to the COVID-19 Pandemic under the guidance of Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority. The activities include visiting them, providing them with dry ration gift packages, familiarising the current situation and identifying the difficulties they are currently facing and providing assistance.

Curfew is currently in force for the past 4 weeks for all districts. All districts except Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Puttalam, Kandy, Kegalle and Ampara which are categorised as high risk areas have been lifted since Monday 20 April from 05.00 a.m. to 08.00 p.m. on the same day, every day until further notice. There has also been a separate circular sent out as guidelines for workplace preparedness for Covid 19.

Education

• Sri Lanka education ministry has decided to consult health officials before re-opening schools for the second term owing to the current situation surrounding Covid 19. The first term holidays were advanced to March 13 with the second term set to begin on April 20 following a decision made by the ministry last month. However, secretary to the education ministry said the date of re-opening schools is likely to be extended, as the country continues to tighten measures. Previously it was announced that schools will reopen on 11 May 2020.
• The Ministry of Education states that no decision has been taken to postpone the GCE Advanced Level Examination (GCE A/L Exam 2020). The exam will be held in August as usual.
• All state universities are scheduled to reopen from 04 May (for academics) and 11 May (for students). However, given the increase in Covid-19 positive patients this decision may be changed in the coming days

[1] https://www.ugc.ac.lk/attachments/2195_medial%20release%20.pdf

[2]http://www.epid.gov.lk/web/images/pdf/Circulars/Corona_virus/guidance%20for%20workplace%20preparedness%20for%20covid%20version%202.pdf

(3). https://economynext.com/sri-lankas-futa-questions-regulator-decision-to-reopen-universities-in-may-66214/

If you have any questions please write to Aatreyee Guha Thakurta (Regional Marketing and Communications Manager, International Education Services, South Asia).