JNU, Jamia advise students to vacate hostels, return home

In an effort to stem the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Jamia Millia Islamia on Monday advised students to vacate hostels

In an effort to stem the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Jamia Millia Islamia on Monday advised students to vacate hostels till March 31. All universities and colleges in Delhi have already suspended classes and gatherings till the end of the month in view of the pandemic.

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In a notice issued on Monday, JNU Registrar Pramod Kumar “strongly advised” students to return home and take adequate precautions. The University said that the mess facility will be available in the few hostels for foreign nationals and “those students who stay back in hostels for valid reasons”.

“However, such students should observe that there will be no entry for outsiders in hostels. There will be no outside food deliveries in the hostels and avoid any type of gathering in the hostel,” Kumar said in the notice.

JNU has asked all its hostels to form a volunteer committee that would monitor the compliance of preventive measures and guidelines. “If any stake holder with travel history to any Covid-19 affected country and in contact with such persons should inform the chief medical officer so that they can be monitored and taken care of, if needed,” JNU Registrar added.

Reacting to the University’s statement, the JNU Students Union (JNUSU) said that students should be allowed to take a call on vacating hostel rooms. “Those who are willing to go can go. But the administration should not forcibly vacate the hostel rooms because many students will not be able to afford this sudden travel back home. We, as JNU community, are already taking all precautions,” JNUSU vice president Saket Moon said.

In an advisory issued on Monday Jamia Registrar AP Siddiqui said that university cannot expose its students this threat. “In Delhi, suspected cases are growing everyday and cross-movement in the city and campus of people is unavoidable. The University cannot expose its students to this threat which is life threatening and dangerous. The way the threat is progressing in the city, the places of collective gathering like library, mess, canteen, etc in Jamia are likely to be closed down as precautionary measures.”

“Therefore, it is advised to all the students to understand the seriousness of the prevailing situation and for their own safety, they may consider to proceed to their homes for secured environment and care,” the Registrar said.

Meanwhile, going ahead with their decision to switch to e-learning till March 31, the Delhi University (DU) on Monday advised its faculty members to start work from home and help students in the process. “The teachers have the option to work from their homes. The teachers may use this time to complete their pending research work and publish the same,” the University said in a statement.