Mumbai: Though schools and junior colleges in Mumbai will be closed for a week starting today, degree colleges and the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-B) will however remain open.

Degree colleges under the University of Mumbai will not be officially closed, as the university did not receive any instructions till Wednesday.

"The government has asked to shut down schools and Jr. colleges only for a week. Hence, MU is not able to issue any circular regarding closure of the degree section," said K Venkatramani, Registrar, MU.

There was a lot of confusion regarding the government directive (GR) among colleges whether degree section should be kept shut or not.

Kirti Narain, Principal, Jai Hind College said, "We will keep both the junior and senior sections of the college closed till August 19 as a precaution."

All institutions of SIES will also remain shut, said college sources.

'Malhar' the much awaited annual festival of St. Xavier's College, which was slated to commence from August 14 has also been postponed tentatively to August 29 or 30, till return to normalcy.

SNDT University has issued a circular to keep all schools and junior colleges under it closed as per the GR.

Since there was nothing mentioned about degree colleges, the degree section under the university will remain open.

IIT-B will also continue with its classes. Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), however, will remain closed till August 19.

As per S Parasuraman, Director, TISS, "Our medical team is keeping a vigil 24-hours, so there is nothing to panic."