RIMC only boarding school in India to remain functional during Covid pandemic
A hundred years ago, Rajwara Camp in Dehradun, which then trained young princes, had to shut down due to the Spanish flu pandemic.
The 138-acre cam-pus today is home to Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC), which probably is the only boarding school in the coun-try to remain completely functional dur-ing the complete Covid 19 pandemic.
As the news of the pandemic broke last spring, famous schools in the Doon valley shut down it was different at RIMC, which is a functioning military unit in addition to being a residential school: says Sidharth Mishra, publisher of The Rimcollian, the alumni newsletter of RIMC, which has car-ried a detailed report on the humungous exercise in its March 2021 edition.
The team led by Col Ajay Kumar), the Commandant, Lt Col Gaurav Hamal, Lt Col Gyan Ranjan Sahu and the Academic Head Prashant Kumar Sharma decided to keep the wheels of RIMC turning without a squeak.
This needed access control, keep-ing the routine close to normal, being medically and administratively prepared and also assuage fears of the parents.
Since the staff and faculty residing outside the cam-pus were asked to stay out, the College was run on a skeleton staff, but all tasks were executed with the same efficiency.
To ensure social distancing, classes were held in open spaces, the syllabus was completed in time and the exams for the Spring Term 2020 conducted efficiently and progress reports made well within time.
Meals in Cadets Mess were staggered. dished out in the lawn as a buffet, ensuring social distancing and minimal inter-action with the waiters.
