Jadavpur University has decided to keep the campus close on April 16 to undertake sanitisation following reports of Covid-19 cases at the institution.

Registrar Snehamanju Basu issued a notice announcing the closure after a number of officials, non-teaching employees and research scholars tested positive.

“After the sanitisation drive, the situation will be assessed over the weekend and a decision will be taken on whether the closure needs to be extended,” Basu said.

The university had earlier shut down various offices for a few days for sanitisation. “But a surge in cases has prompted the university to sanitise the entire campus,” said a JU official.

Among the employees who have tested positive is pro-vice-chancellor Chiranjeeb Bhattacharya, who is in home isolation.

A notice issued by the secretary of the faculty of engineering and technology and the faculty of interdisciplinary studies, law and management, says: “This is for information of all concerned that in view of the increasing trend of the COVID19 pandemic, the physical verification of documents for undergraduate and postgraduate students (Day and Evening): session 2020-21 under FET & FISLM scheduled to be held on 19th and 20th of April, 2021 is hereby postponed till further notice.”

The campus has been shut for in-person classes as a precaution against Covid since March last year.

The university since early March this year has allowed undergraduate and postgraduate students to access the central library.

An official of the university said the use of public transport by employees to commute to office and back home could be the reason for the spread of infection among the staff.

According to him, non-teaching employees had appealed for pick-up and drop-off service so they could avoid public transport.

“But it is not possible to provide the service to the 1,000-odd non-teaching employees,” the official said.

The university had told its non-teaching employees early April that they could attend office on the campus three days a week, instead of five as told earlier, following the surge in Covid cases in the city.