The Jawaharlal Nehru University has set up a COVID-19 Testing Camp on campus for a span of two days — Tuesday and Wednesday (April 27, 28). The camp is being organised by the District Magistrate, New Delhi, from 10 am to 4 pm. However, there's a catch — the notice from the JNU administration mentions that only those having symptoms of COVID-19 can get their test done.
"A COVID-19 Testing Camp is being organised in Faculty Club (near Railway Reservation Centre) of the University for all Community members of the University. Further, in order to avoid crowding, it is directed that those who wish to avail the facility of COVID-19 testing shall intimate to JNU Security Department (Phone numbers: 8130573744: 9312437374) at any time with immediate effect, so that the security department may provide facility to the testing venue in groups of 2-3 individuals. Those having symptoms of COVID-19 can get their test done," the notice reads.
Saket Moon, Vice-President, Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU), appreciated the move but said there are few other things that the administration needs to take into consideration. "What about the other students who might be asymptomatic and are staying on campus? Even the ones with symptoms who will get tested will come back and stay in the same hostels and avail common washrooms and other spaces. Only if the varsity decides to open an isolation facility on campus will this problem be solved. Two days is not enough time to get even half of the JNU student population tested, the district admin should take notice of this and come up with a permanent solution. The administration should also ramp up vaccination efforts and provide vaccines to students for free," he said. Adding what the JNUSU is planning to do, Saket said, "We will meet the university officials and the district administration as well to see what possibilities are there and how we can help."
Agreeing with him, Madhurima Kundu, Secretary of the All India Students' Association (AISA) JNU unit added, "We have been speaking to the JNU administration and various other authorities about the situation in JNU. The two-day COVID testing camp is welcome but is too little and too late. We need a permanent testing facility on this campus. Apart from students, families of staff and teachers also stay on campus. Also what is required the most is quarantine facilities within the campus. Symptomatic students are being forced to stay in their hostel rooms with roommates due to lack of a COVID positive report and quarantine centre. We need a quarantine centre on the campus immediately to curb the rate of transmission."
The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) also welcomed the move, however, they said they will continue to fight for their earlier demands of isolation centres, thermal scanning, and sanitation facilities. "Besides we also demand free vaccination for all on campus along with a one-month academic break given the persistent crisis," ABVP said in a statement.
