University of Hyderabad to pause return of students to campus

Gachibowli: In view of the upsurge in Covid-19 cases in different parts of the country as well as the latest decision of the Government of Telangana to close all educational institutions in the State, the University of Hyderabad has decided to pause until further notice the return of terminal semester post-graduate students and all research scholars (except the 2020 batch) to the campus. Two weeks ago, the university's Task Force had recommended the return of about 2,000 terminal semester students if they wished to do so.

After a review meeting held by the Vice-Chancellor on Wednesday morning with senior administrators and the Task Force, the university has announced that it was putting on hold all plans to start in-person or blended teaching classes until further orders. The academic units have been asked to continue all teaching online and conduct end-semester examinations also online.

There are about 1,200 students, including research scholars and PG students, who are currently on the campus to complete their practical, laboratory, project, thesis work before they graduate in June. The departments and schools that are in the process of completing the practical inputs have been advised to continue to do so by strictly following all Covid protocols. All students, faculty, and staff have been asked to strictly follow the health protocols already circulated by the Task Force. In the coming days, the university will conduct mock drills of the health emergency response system on campus and work with the School of Medical Sciences to institute a public health surveillance system as per WHO/ICMR protocols.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Appa Rao Podile, said that he can understand the anxiety felt by students and their families caused by the current surge in cases and the TS government decision to close educational institutions. He added that those students who wished to go back home may feel free to do so and assured that the University would do everything possible to facilitate continuation of academic activities online.

Prof Appa Rao appealed to all the students who have chosen to stay in the hostels on campus to remain cautious in their interactions and prudent in their movements in and out of the campus. If students don't exercise self-regulation in their own behaviour, and if the situation worsens, the university may be compelled to impose a stricter regulatory environment, he cautioned.