DU to open in phases from Sept 15, one jab mandatory for all students
The Delhi University on Monday announced a phasewise reopening of the varsity, and said all final-year undergraduate and postgraduate students requiring lab work or practical classes may return to campus from September 15.
The varsity has made it mandatory for all students returning to colleges and departments to be at least partially vaccinated. Department and college libraries, too, have been allowed to reopen from Monday, DU officials said.
“Laboratory or practical classes and similar activities for final-year UG/PG students may be allowed in the offline mode from September 15 with maximum 50% of the working capacity of classroom/ laboratory/hall room following the principle of rotation. Only a limited number of experiments/exercises/practicals may be selected that are considered essential or important in the semester,” the university order, released on Monday,
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DU registrar Vikas Gupta, who issued the order, said teaching and non-teaching staff must be fully vaccinated at the earliest. “It is further advised that all students entering the college/department/ university receive at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine. However, for hostel residents, although both doses of Covid-19 vaccine are essential but ensure that the residents have at least one dose of vaccine,” he said.
The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on August 30 issued the standard operating procedure (SOP) for reopening of schools, colleges, and other educational institutes, and emphasised on finalising readiness plans in consultation with parent groups, monitoring compliance of Covid-19 protocols, and according top priority to vaccinating all staff.
Theory classes for all UG and PG courses shall continue online until further notification, but students can return for academic consultations and placement purposes, provided their numbers do not exceed the 50% seating capacity at any point, the DU said.
Attendance for all classes will not be mandatory, the university administration further said. The university has also asked libraries to ensure that they work out a schedule for issuing books or for students to visit the library to ensure that there is no overcrowding of such premises.
Varsity officials, including Gupta and acting vice-chancellor PC Joshi, held meetings with college principals to discuss the reopening plans.
Manoj Sinha, principal of Aryabhatta College and general secretary of DU principals’ association, said, “Holding online classes parallel to practical work will not be a challenge since we have a set-up in place. While students want to return to the campuses, parents are concerned about their safety due to the previous waves of Covid. It is a sensible step to continue online classes because we need to tread carefully.”
JNU working on plan to reopen, says V-C
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) vice-chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar on Monday said the varsity is working towards a phased reopening and asked students of non-phd courses to be patience. Kumar, along with other officials of JNU, said this while addressing students through a Facebook Live session on the staggered reopening of the campus to PHD students.
He said a panel was working towards restarting in-person classes. “Whether Jamia or other universities, we are all working on a phased reopening. If we suddenly let in a large number of students and they do not follow Covid protocols, that can lead to a situation where Covid may come back,” said Kumar.