Online mode will continue as University will not be taking any risk with respect to students' health: JNU VC

New Delhi [India], September 6 : Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) reopened on Monday for PhD research scholars, PhD (PWD) and 9B students as part of the phased opening of the varsity, which said that other students will, however, have to wait longer to attend physical classes, in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar, JNU vice-chancellor, "We need to have a uniform protocol for all. Online mode will continue as University will not be taking any risk with respect to the student's health."
More than 60 per cent of the University students are research scholars and the remaining are in MA, MTech and other undergraduate programs.
Responding to ANI's question VC said: "For students, all the lectures are held on online mode. This will continue until govt permits the students to come to the campus physically. In the case of University, there are students from across the country and some may be living in the regions where covid is still prevalent for which offline classes are not advisable as of now."
When the government allows offline classes for all other programs, we will also begin, the administration said.
However while ANI reported on Sunday concern of the research students regarding the closing of a central library, especially by students who are supposed to submit their papers by December 31, the VC stated: "Covid monitoring committee has already recommended that DR BR Ambedkar library can be opened with certain protocols with 50 per cent capacity. The administration is working on the sanitization part. The central library will be accessible to the students but the only request to the students is to follow the covid 19 guidelines very strictly. The central library will be accessible to the students."
On students' queries regarding waving off hostel fees for students who could not use the facilities, administration after a meeting decided to leave
Through social media (Facebook live) an interactive session was arranged between JNU administration, students and others today.
Queries of students related to hostel allotment, admissions, Covid situation, physical classes, reopening of the University were discussed.
In the first phase, JNU reopened for the PhD, PhD (PWD) and 9B students specifically who are to submit their papers by Dec 31 this year.
Students were only allowed inside the campus by producing negative RTPCR report done within 72 hours.
For the rest, the online classes continue like earlier during the pandemic period.
Last Friday Delhi government announced that schools for classes 9 to 12, colleges and coaching Rd final year students to return to colleges for accessing labs and take practical classes in February this year however, the classes were suspended again in April due to the second Covid wave.