NIT Durgapur has withdrawn the condition that the research scholars willing to return to the campus have to be fully vaccinated against Covid, following an appeal from students citing shortage of doses.
The institute issued a notice on Thursday saying: “Willing PhD scholars/project staff who have been vaccinated at least 1st dose for COVID 19 will be allowed to come to the institute/hostel.”
The institute had in July told the research scholars that they could return to the campus after taking both doses of a Covid vaccine.
The institute had said in a circular that the students would have to “show through CoWIN” that they had been fully vaccinated.
Thursday’s notice, signed by Biswajit Halder, the dean of students’ welfare, says: “All… who have been vaccinated at least 1st dose for COVID 19 will be allowed to the institute/hostel on September 2-8, 2021, subject to the recommendation from the supervisor….”
Anupam Basu, the director of the institute, said: “All scholars who want to return may not have received both doses, given the nature of supply. So we have relaxed the condition. Once they reach the campus, the institute will make arrangements for the second dose.”
All scholars returning to the campus, irrespective of their vaccination status, have to produce an RT-PCR negative report.
The sample for the test has to be given within 72 hours before reaching the campus.
In April, the institute had been forced to send all research scholars back home following a spurt in Covid cases on the campus.
