DU may ask candidates for jab status

NEW DELHI: The Delhi University (DU) is likely to seek details of candidates’ vaccination status at the time of the online registration for admission to various undergraduate, postgraduate, and research programmes across its colleges and departments this year, said officials, adding that it will not affect the eligibility of students and is just to help create a database of students’ vaccination status before the university reopens physically. The varsity is also planning to get the vaccination status of its existing students.

The online registration process for admission to DU -- similar to last year -- is likely to begin in mid-July.

The admission process got delayed this year due to the cancellation of Class 12 exams in view of the pandemic.

“The university is likely to add a column in the registration form asking candidates if they are partially vaccinated, fully vaccinated, or yet to be vaccinated. This has nothing to do with their admission. It will be collected only to create a database for the university so that it can prepare well for the future. At the time of reopening, the colleges and departments can directly contact students who were not vaccinated during admission and help them get the shots,” said a senior DU official.

To be sure, DU is yet to take a final call on the matter. The official said that, if included, the registration form will give three options to candidates -partially vaccinated, fully vaccinated, and not vaccinated.

Colleges across DU have been shut since March last year in view of the Covid pandemic. The university reopened briefly in November last year for laboratory work of final year research students but it was closed in April when the second wave of the pandemic hit the country.

Meanwhile, DU is also planning to collect data on the vaccination status of all students already enrolled across its colleges. DU acting vice-chancellor PC Joshi said, “I will soon write to all principals to collect information from all students and teachers on their vaccination status. We will help those students who have not been able to get a jab. We want our entire university to be vaccinated before we reopen and restart in-person classes.”

The Union ministry of education is yet to issue guidelines for the reopening of education institutions after the second wave of the pandemic. Manoj Sinha, secretary of DUPA and principal of Aryabhatta College, said.

“It will be excellent for colleges. It won’t be possible to reopen colleges before our students and teachers are fully vaccinated,” he said.

THE ONLINE REGISTRATION PROCESS FOR ADMISSION TO DU -- SIMILAR TO LAST YEAR -- IS LIKELY TO BEGIN IN MID-JULY.