DU starts work on infra revamp ahead of students’ Feb 17 return

The university was shut in March 2020 after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. In-person practical sessions for third-year students resumed last year, but classes again shifted to online mode in January amid a spike in cases of Covid-19

New Delhi: As the Delhi University (DU) announced reopening of the campus for in-person classes from February 17, colleges across the varsity are refurbishing facilities such as classrooms, laboratories, canteens, and arranging accommodation facilities for outstation students and college administrators, who will be returning to the university after nearly two years.

During a students’ protest for reopening on Tuesday. (Amal KS/HT)

The university was shut in March 2020 after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. In-person practical sessions for third-year students resumed last year, but classes again shifted to online mode in January amid a spike in cases of Covid-19.

Transition to offline classes

Twenty-one-year-old Nitika Dabas, a final year student of BSc (Zoology) at Ramjas College, said she was excited about returning to college after a long time. Dabas said that her batch couldn’t experience the university life they had imagined while taking admission in DU. “I am excited and a little anxious about returning to college. Despite being in the final year of graduation, we don’t know our juniors and have not met our teachers and fellow students in a long time. It almost feels like being a fresher but nonetheless, I am looking forward to going to college for the last few months,” said Dabas, adding that the university could have continued with online classes in a hybrid mode for outstation students.

Amrutha R, a second-year student at Miranda House, started her bachelor’s degree in English two years ago. Due to the pandemic-induced closure of educational institutes, she completed three semesters in the online mode without having attended a single class in person, or any physical interaction with peers and teachers. “I am glad that the university is reopening finally since online learning comes with a lot of challenges and not everyone has access to a conducive learning environment. The authorities should help incoming students with accommodation since many of them are struggling to find places at a short notice. Many PGs and flats have nearly doubled their rent since the reopening announcement was made,” said Amrutha.

While the resumption of offline activity has been welcomed by students who have been advocating for a reopening since last year, outstation students said that they had not been given sufficient time to make arrangements. The reopening notification issued by the university registrar on Wednesday said that all outstation students will have to undergo mandatory isolation for three days before they can enter their college.

Vatsala Pandey, a third-year student from Uttarakhand, said returning to Delhi for a few months did not make sense when nearly half of the semester was over and college life was also nearing completion. “For a few months, I will have to look for a flat and make travel plans in a limited period of days. Classes could have continued in the online mode but since there is no choice, we will have to return to Delhi,” said Pandey.

Of the around 280,000 applicants to DU this year, only 40% of aspirants (115,000) are from Delhi-NCR and the remaining are from other states. Of the 20 DU colleges that have hostel facilities (till 2019), six offer hostels for both male and female students, and 12 colleges have accommodation for only women, and the rest have boys hostels only. Apart from these, the university also has a hostel for undergraduate students at North Campus.

The university did not provide provided data on the number of seats available in these hostels in the past two admission cycles, but in 2019, a total of 3,752 seats were available in these hostels.

Colleges’ work out hostel modalities

Most colleges said that they were working out the modalities, issue hostel lists soon. Besides the sprucing up of classroom infrastructure and hostel facilities, clarity is also awaited on the nature of upcoming exams and online classes.

Miranda House acting principal Bijayalaxmi Nanda said the college will issue the hostel list for the second year and first-year students on Friday and Monday respectively. “We will issue the lists soon and students will be able to take admission. We are also encouraging students to get vaccinated as soon as people,” said Nanda. On the issue of implementation of Covid norms such as physical distancing, she said the college had enough space and large well-ventilated rooms. “We are working on a plan of holding staggered classes. It’s in the works. We are seeing how it can be completed,” said Nanda.

Manoj Sinha, principal of Aryabhatta College and general secretary of DU principals association, said the varsity catered to students from all across the country, many of whom were apprehensive about moving to Delhi towards the end of the semester. He said students were worried about finding accommodation and the college was extending support to them. “We don’t have a hostel but I have asked my teachers to get in touch with PG owners in the vicinity and extend support to students who seek help. Our classrooms are ready and we have asked canteen vendors and staff to return to the campus,” said Sinha.

Clarity on exams awaited

DU registrar Vikas Gupta said it will not be possible to hold online classes along with offline classes. “We don’t think we will be able to conduct online classes from 17. As far as the decision of online open-book exam is concerned, the decision will be taken by the controller of exams. Time is short and we can’t delay the exam at any cost,” said Gupta.

Though online classes will be stopped with the resumption of offline classes, there is no clarity on the mode of examination. Examinations for students in the first semester are scheduled for March-April, and students in other semesters have their exams due in May.

DS Rawat,dean (examinations), said that a decision on the mode of examination will be taken on Friday.