Jadavpur University has issued a notice asking students, teachers and others to observe Covid protocol on the campus “in view of rapid increase of Covid cases”.
Registrar Snehamanju Basu said a few teachers had tested positive for Covid and some other staff members had developed symptoms associated with the disease. “So we have asked everyone to follow the Covid protocols.”
The campus had reopened for in-person classes in November last year, along with other state universities and government and aided colleges.
A fresh Covid wave in January led to the closure of the campus, which reopened again in mid-February.
The latest spike in cases across the country has prompted the university to take some precautionary steps, pro-vice-chancellor Chiranjeeb Bhattacharya said.
A teacher said they were worried because a section of students was not wearing masks.
In a letter to vice-chancellor Suranjan Das in September last year, the university’s teachers’ association had shared a summary of a survey among teachers regarding a possible reopening: “The majority of the teachers state that most of the students who are visiting the campus now are not wearing masks…. All the teachers feel that use of masks should be mandatory for attending classes in physical mode. They also feel that nobody should be allowed into physical classes without a mask.”
Another official said they were also worried about the compliance of Covid protocol in the hostels. “The hostel superintendents have been asked to ensure that the boarders maintain safety norms as much as possible,” he said.
