IIT-Delhi students ‘advised’ to return home

IIT-D director V Ramgopal Rao said that the institute has advised students to return in view of the unprecedented rise in Covid-19 cases in the national capital.

Amid a spike in Covid-19 cases in the national capital, the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT-D), has advised students residing on the campus to return to their homes and also urged day scholars to avoid coming to the institute unless “necessary”. There are at least 23 active Covid-19 cases, including students and faculty members, on the IIT-D campus.

IIT Delhi.(Agency file photo)

IIT-D director V Ramgopal Rao said that the institute has advised students to return in view of the unprecedented rise in Covid-19 cases in the national capital. “We have around 2,000 students on campus. As per the Delhi government rules, we cannot isolate students at the campus and we will have to shift them to quarantine centres. We are told that Delhi quarantine centres are all full at present. We are worried in case something goes wrong, there won’t be any place to shift them. We have just advised the students and nobody will be forced to return,” he said.

Rao said “30 students have tested positive” on campus in the last month. “Everything is under control at the campus. The institute is following Covid-19 appropriate precautions,” he said.

In an email sent to students and faculty members on Saturday, IIT-D deputy registrar and nodal officer for Covid-19, N Bhaskar, said that at least 15 students, six employees, and two family members of the employees recently tested positive for the infection on the campus. “All are requested to kindly take the necessary precautions and follow the guidelines strictly without any laxity, in the common interest of the safety of the campus community,” he said.

Earlier on Friday, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) also advised students to leave for their homes. According to the advisory issued by the university, more than 322 Covid-19 cases have been reported at the JNU campus since March 2020. Presently, there are 64 Covid-19 cases in JNU, including 11 cases detected on Friday.

“Keeping in mind the well-being and safety of students and all campus residents, it is advisable, where feasible, for the students to leave for their native places in order to stay safe, and also help curb the virulent spread of Covid-19 virus,” said JNU Registrar Anirban Chakrabarti in the advisory.

Meanwhile, some students have tested positive for Covid-19 at Delhi University’s (DU) Gwyer hostel that accommodates masters and research scholars.