JNU in talks with Delhi government to set up COVID care centre on campus: VC Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar

The Jawaharlal Nehru University will soon set up a COVID care centre on campus, Vice-Chancellor Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar announced on Wednesday through an online session conducted by the administration on the COVID situation at the varsity campus. "We are in touch with the Delhi Government regarding this and we are also reaching out to several NGOs to help us set up the care centres as soon as possible," the VC said during the session.

The VC's announcement is in line with a recent judgement by the Delhi High Court asking the JNU administration, the JNU Teachers' Association (JNUTA) and the JNU Students' Union (JNUSU) to work together in setting up a COVID care centre on campus. On May 14, Justice Prathiba M Singh said in her order, "The location of the centre will be determined immediately by the COVID Task Force in consultation with the SMD."

The students have been up in arms with the JNU administration demanding them to set up isolation centres on campus to ease the burden on students, faculty and their families who are finding it difficult to acquire resources given the devastating COVID situation in Delhi. JNU earlier in April had organised a COVID testing camp on campus for two days, however, students weren't satisfied as they said two days weren't enough and a COVID care centre is the need of the hour.

The VC, during Wednesday's session said that JNU had set a COVID response team to work closely with the administration and ensure that the support is provided to the JNU community. "We have lost some of our colleagues and their family members to the virus and it is extremely disheartening. But our COVID response team has been working tirelessly, taking calls, finding leads to provide the much-needed support. The administration has also been meeting with every wing, school, department at the varsity and periodically reviewing the situation and advising what needs to be done," added the VC.

Professor Jagadesh Kumar added that all the academic programmes are being conducted smoothly and deadlines of projects, exams, assignments are also being extended wherever necessary. "We are aware of the challenges students are facing at this time and that's why all processes have been shifted online. We are looking at all their concerns and advising the schools, departments accordingly," he said.