Covid spike calls for debate: To be or not to be back on campus? Students, teachers opine

After almost 13 students and two staff members of St Stephen’s College reportedly tested Covid positive post an educational trip to Dalhousie, it’s questionable whether the students’ demand to reopen campus at present is justified.

After more than a year of online classes, since most educational institutions were shut in March last year, the students of Delhi University have been constantly appealing to reopen the campus. But, the recent news of St Stephen’s College campus lockdown — after almost 13 students and two staff members reportedly tested Covid positive post an educational trip to Dalhousie — has put a question mark on whether the demand to reopen campus is justified at present. But, nothing seems to deter Delhi University students from insisting to reopen campuses for physical classes, although coronavirus cases in the Capital have begun to see a spike of late.

Most DU students who are attending classes online had been protesting via social to reopen campuses. (Photo: Manoj Verma/HT (Photo for representational purposes only))

‘Can reopen colleges in a phased manner’

Avantika Kanojia, a student of Sri Aurobindo College, says, “What happened with St Stephen’s students is unfortunate. But going for a trip is different from taking classes. They turned out to be positive after they went out, and not by being on campus... We will have to deal with coronavirus, but education is an integral part of our lives. We can definitely reopen colleges in a phased manner, classes can be done for say three days a week. Because it’s getting difficult for everyone to cope with online classes as there’s no proper study structure.”

No exposure when in online mode

The digital petition to reopen campus, which has now seen 5,800 signups, states multiple reasons for the demand, including inability to find a good network connection in remote areas, or access to growth avenues provided in offline college. Deepender Sharma, a student of Kirori Mal College rues, “I’m in my first year here and haven’t interacted with my peers yet. I stay in Rewari where the network coverage isn’t great.. Kabhi kabhi toh messages tak nahi jate. Meetings start bhi nahi hoti, and when teachers ask for response then our voice disappears, which makes them think we are not attending the class. Students like me applied to DU for the exposure that one gets, and to be part of extra curricular activities – none of these are we getting in the online campus mode!”

Students who were part online protests say the DU administration hasn’t responded to their emails.

More Twitter campaigns planned

The #ReOpenDU protestors had a recent Twitter campaign on April 6, wherein they urged students to voice their concerns and demanded the administration to chalk out a plan for reopening of DU. Students who were part of this protest say that their repeated demands for reopening campus have been persistent because the administration hasn’t responded to the concerns raised by the students. “Our motive is to ask the DU administration as to why are they not replying to the queries of students. Our emails don’t get responses, we don’t have access to libraries; in case the campus needs to remain closed then the issues we have with online classes, course material etc, needs to be resolved at the earliest,” says Tanuj Rattan Singh, a student of Dyal Singh College.

Teachers feels safe to keep campuses closed, but not for long

In view of the recent rise in cases in the Capital, DU administration on April 3 released a circular asking students to avoid physical presence on campus unless necessary. Sumit Nandan, an assistant professor at Hindu College feels that the university should remain closed for a while as a preventative measure. “University of Delhi is a microcosm of India. Thus, in the wake of the recent surge in the different parts of the country, it will be sagacious not to open the colleges for offline teaching for another few weeks. Although, I personally feel that online teaching and OBE don’t augur well for the education of the students. But the pandemic has put us in an unprecedented catch-22 situation; it’s like choosing between the devil and the deep blue sea!”

Geetesh Nirban, professor, Kamala Nehru College, also believes that keeping educational institutions shut for long is affecting the psychological well-being of people. She opines, “It’s one of the toughest phases for students and professors as both communities are digitally fatigued and psychologically stressed due to virtual mode of functioning for a year now. With surge in cases, uncertainty regarding reopening looms again on DU but teaching and learning being a social process cannot go for eternity without human connects. With appropriate cautions, strict guidelines, we have to think of reopening selectively. The community in education sector need to start the campaign for intensive vaccination drive among all associated with education so that normalcy returns in this important sector too.”

Author tweets @bhagat_mallika

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