When the Delhi government announced the re-entry of students in schools, colleges and coaching centres, a ray of hope shone upon the students. The deputy CM made the notice official through a tweet.
However, the most trending question among the students is – Is Delhi University reopening?
The varsity said that the university will be reopened only after deliberations. Several students took to Twitter to express their disappointment. DU students have been requesting the university to reopen colleges using hashtag #reopenDU. Many also expressed their concern over the pandemic-induced disruption in the education sector and learning loss.
Seeking reopening of campuses, members of the All India Students’ Association(AISA), launched a protest at the Vice Chancellor’s office of Delhi University.
Students were seen chanting and protesting in front of the gate demanding to reopen DU as they were stopped by the Delhi Police from entering. Demanding the reopening of the campus, students assembled at the gates in large numbers with banners. The banners also sought vaccination of students at campuses, financial aid and protested NEP implementation.
The disappointment of students
A Delhi University student in a tweet said, “What’s the point of studying online only to get a degree and be clueless? Can you just imagine the pain of studying PDFs on a laptop?! An year has gone and it’s enough now. Not because I want to go out or enjoy college life, but because I am not learning anything.” “What’s the point of graduating from a prestigious college like Delhi University?” the Twitter user said.
Another DU student said, “As we notice the corona cases graph in the whole month of August, cases are decreasing day by day, and yesterday we recorded least no. of corona cases after the 2nd wave. And most students are vaccinated, even I myself is fully vaccinated! So please reopen colleges asap. #reopenDU.”
Requesting to reopen Delhi University, a student said, “I don’t understand what is wrong with opening educational institutions?! Cases are down more than 1.2 cr doses have been given to Delhite. Then why are you not REOPENING school and colleges?? Is it bcz they don’t generate revenue like BARS?”
“Now even DDMA has allowed to reopen schools, colleges from 1 Sept. When will DU reopen its colleges? It’s high time now. Students are facing a lot of problems in online studying. They also deserve physical learning and college,” a student said.
A tweet said, “It is the worst mode of education. I am not able to understand anything. Sometimes I even face network problems”.
An undergraduate student said: “Please reopen the college for fresh undergraduate also. It’s very difficult to attend online classes. We hardly understand anything online.”
Are the pleads being heard?
A meeting of the executives was held on 31st August, 2021 to discuss the matter.
After the meeting, DU’s vice-chancellor PC Joshi told ANI that, “I welcome the DDMA advisory, it has helped us in re-opening the University in a phased manner,”. Further, Joshi said, the varsity, which has students from all across the country and even outside India, is looking into various options. “We’ll have to contemplate on how they will be included. All those things have to be considered,” the VC said.
Additionally, Joshi said, “We want to reopen soon, but we don’t want to take a decision in haste. That might adversely affect students. I think we’ll first allow third-year students and then further extend it when it works out well”.
The VC also informed that the final decision on phased reopening would be taken in the next five to six days as the university has to plan on how to accommodate students from different states in the hostels. “Everything needs to be considered,” he said.
Further, he said that the university would ensure that students who plan to attend the offline mode of classes are vaccinated, and also informed that the vaccination of the DU teachers is almost complete.
Also read about the uncertainty of DU reopening here.
