Follow COVID-19 protocols, join vaccination drive: UGC Chairman to VCs

NEW DELHI: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has urged universities across the country to keep their campuses safe by following COVID-appropriate behaviour and encouraging the university community to get vaccinated.

With reports of teachers from across universities dying from COVID-19, the UGC chairman, DP Singh, has urged universities to stand united in the fight against coronavirus pandemic and keep their campuses safe.

Universities like Aligarh Muslim University, Delhi University, Jamia Millia Islamia have lost over a dozen faculty and administrative staff members to COVID-19.

In his letter to the Vice Chancellors, Singh writes: “To overcome this crisis, all the stakeholders of Higher Education Institutions (HEI's) such as students, teachers, staff, officers and others, including their family members, need to work collectively by addressing the numerous challenges in terms of physical & mental health, safety, and overall well-being.”

Singh has urged the university administration to remain sensitive to the problems and needs of their stakeholders and extend the best possible support to overcome such an unprecedented situation.

The UGC has asked universities to constitute COVID task force and helplines and promote COVID appropriate behaviour including sanitization, wearing the mask, washing hands, maintaining social distancing, testing, tracing of suspected cases.

The UGC letter has also urged institutions to arrange for counsellors and mentors for mental health, psychosocial support and well-being of all stakeholders. “Taking suitable welfare measures for students, teachers, staff, officers and other stakeholders. Ensuring that the initiatives must seek to reach those at greatest risk of being left behind-people in emergencies and crises; and those who are differently-abled,” reads the letter to VCs.

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