Exams postponed, administration blamed in Lucknow University as 50 students test positive for COVID-19

The varsity has said that a few of the infected students will be allowed to stay and quarantine in their hostel rooms, while those whose condition is not serious, will be allowed to return home
Image for representational purpose only | Pic: Express
Image for representational purpose only | Pic: Express

The Lucknow University (LU) has deferred the examinations scheduled to take place from Friday, January 14, after 50 students tested positive for COVID-19.
 
Of the 50 students, 32 are from the Habibullah Boys' hostel, 10 from Mahmudabad Boys' hostel and eight from Lal Bahadur Shastri Boys' hostel. An MSc student, residing in Nivedita Girls' hostel has also tested positive. She later left the hostel with her guardian, as per a report in IANS.
 
The remaining students of the hostel were also tested and reports are awaited. After the outbreak on the campus, Lucknow University Associated College Teachers' Association (LUACTA) also threatened to boycott examinations in view of the rising cases.
 
LU spokesperson Durgesh Srivastava said, "The university has deferred examination. It will re-schedule all the examinations between January 15 and 31. The next examination schedule will be announced shortly." Earlier, three students, two from Mahmudabad and one from Habibullah hostel, tested positive, after which, RT-PCR test of all the inmates was done by health officials from the Chief Minister's office.
 
While several students left the hostels, those whose examinations were scheduled stayed back. Meanwhile, students alleged that the negligence of the university administration was the reason behind the spurt in COVID cases on the campus.
 
"We will quarantine all infected students in the hostel itself. They will be given food in disposables while those who want to go home will be permitted to leave if their guardians come to pick them up and their condition is not serious," the LU spokesperson said, as per IANS. "We can't take the risk of allowing students from Uttarakhand or far-flung places to travel in such conditions. They are not just students but our children too and due care will be taken."
 
COVID-19 has impacted exams in other educational institutions in Lucknow as well, with the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) also forced to defer examinations after a spike in cases on campus earlier this week.

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