COVID-19: Hyderabad University asks students to vacate hostel; students' union opposes

NEW DELHI: The University of Hyderabad (UoH) has requested all students residing on the campus and attending online classes to vacate their hostels and head home in view of the surge in the number of COVID-19 positive cases on the campus.

“The students may come back when the Covid situation improves, in which case the university will notify,” said a letter from the dean students’ welfare, UoH. The DSW further requested students to cooperate with the University authorities by responding positively.

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The Students' Federation of India (SFI)-led UoH students' union condemned the appeal by the Hyderabad Central University. “We condemn the notice in the guise of an appeal asking all students to leave the campus when covid cases are rising across the country,” said the students union in a Facebook post. The union further assured that it will ensure students are not forced to vacate hostels.

“Students who are comfortable staying in the HCU hostels can continue their stay on the campus. All hostels will continue functioning with all the required essential services,” it said.

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The union further appealed to the office of the chief warden and dean of students' welfare to take necessary action to enforce proper sanitation measures in the UOHYD campus by equipping the university staff with safety gear and by maintaining a hygienic working environment in the university rather than forcing students to vacate and travel long distances to their native place during a global pandemic.

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HCU: UoH admin asks students to vacate hostels owing to increasing Covid cases