Jadavpur University profs urge Education Minister to vaccinate and reopen campus to avoid "academic and financial loss"
The professors of Jadavpur University in Kolkata have written to the State Education Minister Bratya Basu to start vaccination of researchers and students as the first step to reopen the campus. The JU Teachers' Association (JUTA) also said that equipment worth crores of rupees is lying unused for days and are malfunctioning now. They demanded that students should be vaccinated and classes would be started as soon as possible.
Dr Partha Pratim Ray, who teaches Physics at the university said that some of the researchers have been vaccinated and are ready to come back on campus. "Some of the students and researchers are vaccinated and can come back. That's why we asked the government to reopen the campus. Other universities have opened up campuses at least for the PhD and MPhil students," said Dr Ray, who is also the General Secretary of JUTA.
While some of the equipment lay unused and the professors are scared they might not work when they get back on campus, some of the electronic equipment has to be kept running 24x7 and incur a huge running cost. "These machines can't be switched off. We are incurring a huge loss because of the running costs. Research laboratories must start functioning as soon as possible to avoid further academic and financial loss," he added.
Dr Ray also said that had spoken to the university but because the state had ordered the closure, the university cannot take a call on reopening. "Research scholars who are vaccinated must be allowed on campus immediately. Those research scholars who have not yet received vaccinations can be allowed on campus after they receive their vaccinations," he added.
The state government has hinted that they would open educational institutions only after the Durga Puja in October. ITIs and polytechnic institutions have however been allowed to function three days a week.
