The Telangana High Court today stayed the state government order to reopen educational institutions from September 1. The order applies to residential and social welfare schools only.

The HC asked the private schools not to make it mandatory for students to attend physical classes. If it's fine with the children, the schools and the parents, physical classes can be held. That said, private schools can't force the parents to give anything in writing.

It's pertinent to note that the government can't disallow online classes and make physical classes mandatory. The latest order runs in the face of the government's attempts to make physical classes mandatory. The ball is now in the court of the private schools.

The HC's order has come in for criticism. It's clearly an overreach on the part of the court. Whether to open the schools during the pandemic is in the realm of the Executive. The Judiciary should have no role in this, unless unreasonable rules are imposed by the government on schools, children and parents.