New Delhi: With physical classes for final-year undergraduate and postgraduate students of the science stream set to begin in February, Delhi University (DU) colleges are working overtime to meet the post-COVID requirements. While the university is busy framing standard operating procedures (SOPs), colleges are eager to keep things ready well ahead of the reopening.
The official spokesperson of DU and principal of Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences, Balaram Pani, said that college principals and varsity officials are working together to issue the SOPs in a couple of weeks.
“We are discussing the modalities. Outstation students are a concern as they may require hostels, and we are currently figuring out how that can be facilitated. We are also planning to arrange for some sort of testing facilities for incoming students to ensure the health and safety of our stakeholders is not at risk. If the [Covid-19] situation is better by April-May, we can begin the next semester in physical mode,” Pani was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.
Education had completely moved to the online platform after colleges and universities in the national capital were shut following COVID-19 outbreak in March 2020. In November, research and final-year postgraduate students of all Science courses were allowed in the campus for using laboratories, though in small numbers.
Now, the final-year students of undergraduate students have demanded a phased return to the campus as they are losing credit points without practicals.
The DU announced on Thursday that after consultation with college and department representatives, the varsity “will slowly and carefully start allowing only final year students” to return to the campus for “lab work and practical classes” in small groups, reported Hindustan Times.
However, by doing so, the Humanities and Commerce students stand to lose, as both groups require a certain degree of laboratory work. According to DU dean of students (DSW) Rajeev Gupta, the university will initiate the phased entry from February.
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