Jadavpur University has sought applications from students admitted this year for hostel accommodation as part of a plan to keep the campus prepared for a possible reopening.
In-person classes have remained suspended since March as a precaution against Covid. The university has provisions to accommodate 1,600 students in hostels.
A JU official said even as they were receiving applications for hostel accommodation, they were concerned about whether the UGC guidelines on Covid safety could be followed in regard to reopening of hostels. The guidelines say: “Sharing of rooms may not be allowed in hostels.... There should be no crowding in hostel areas.... Hence, their numbers need to be limited appropriately to avoid crowding... students should be called in phases.”
In JU, before the onset of the pandemic, as many as four students shared a hostel room.
“The university's student intake has increased following the introduction of the OBC quota but the hostel capacity has remained the same. Now, if the UGC guidelines are to be implemented, our hostel capacity will reduce to a fourth of the pre-pandemic level. How will we prioritise?” an official asked.
JU registrar Snehamanju Basu said: “We will abide by whatever the government will suggest to maintain the safety protocols.”
Teachers of the university had on September 6 written to education minister Bratya Basu demanding that the campus be reopened for research scholars and final-year students in science and engineering. A JU official said if the final-year students in need of hostel accommodation were allowed to stay in hostels in batches, the physical distancing norm could be followed to some extent.
A notice signed by the university’s dean of students, Rajat Roy, says: “Applications are invited from the students, admitted in the year 2021-22, for hostel boardership.... The filled-in forms with scanned documents are to be sent as soft copy... in PDF format on or before September 30.”
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had said last month that the state government would consider reopening campuses after the Puja break if the Covid situation remained under control. “...we have to prepare a plan for allotment to keep the facilities ready,” a JU official said.