Jawaharlal Nehru University panel to look into re-entry of students

NEW DELHI: After weeks of protests by Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU), the university administration on Saturday said that it had set up a committee to work out detailed guidelines for the phased return of students to the campus.
In a notice, the registrar stated that the administration had received suggestions from deans of schools and chairpersons of special centres for the phased return of students for their academic pursuits.“Suggestions have also been received from hostel representatives. The dean of students, along with the provosts and wardens, are looking into the feasibility and logistics for the return of students to hostels.”
The notice further stated that “JNU vice-chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar has constituted a committee to work out the detailed guidelines to be followed and the logistics to be managed for the phased return of the students.” It asked students to avoid mass gathering and follow Covid-19 guidelines.
JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh said that the union had been demanding this since the new “Unlock guidelines” were issued by the ministry of home affairs in which colleges were allowed to have phased return of students.
The committee, however, does not have a chief medical officer who would guide on Covid-19 SOP, she claimed.
“The committee also lacks a student representative. The decision has come very late and we do not think that re-entry can happen before November. We have our PhD submissions by the end of December. This will force students to drop out.”
In a recent survey conducted by student researchers, a majority of participants had stated they wouldn’t be able to submit their thesis if they did not get an extension as they were dependent on the materials available in the university campus.
“We wanted students to come and stay in hostels and use library and internet facilities available in the campus for their research,” said Ghosh.