Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar (GNLU) has been hit with a spurt of COVID-19 cases days after it resumed physical classes from April 4..More than 60 students tested positive for the virus, prompting the University to send its students back home and shut down..The college was previously functioning in hybrid mode from February 19, with students given the option to return to campus if they wished to. Recently, pursuant to instructions by the Director, who cited the example of other traditional universities in Gujarat starting physical operations, mandated physical attendance on campus.All students, except those who are primary caregivers at their homes or those undergoing assessment internships or preparing for civil services or judiciary exams, were required to be physically present on campus with a compulsory 70% attendance. .Mahesh Chaudhry, Dean of the Student Grievance Redressal Body told Bar & Bench,"It is difficult to exactly identify the instances as to why the cases surged. In all likelihood, it is due to the fact that students from across the country came to campus. Since the government restrictions had also relatively eased, the administration could not impose or make compulsory any of the aspects explicitly relaxed by the government such as wearing of masks, although most students wore masks."On the measures taken by the administration to ensure the safety of students post reopening, Chaudhry said,"The administration did foresee the overall number of students to be a lot, and appropriate steps were taken as per the Government of India guidelines. However, at any point in time, such things can happen. Even when students were found positive, they were immediately shifted to the VIP guesthouse, and all four meals for every student on campus were delivered to them in their respective rooms. Students were completely barred from going to the canteen, and if they wanted something, the food packets were delivered to their rooms," he added..Contrary to media reportage on the ongoing crisis at GNLU, which attributed the increased number of COVID-19 cases to the fresher's week conducted at the college, Chaudhry clarified that only about three days of the event took place, during which students were merely dressing up based on the themes of the specific day. The event was being carried out with appropriate protocols with no instance of overcrowding, he added. Further, the formal dinner that was to be arranged was cancelled by the authorities owing to the rise in COVID-19 cases among the students..Class Representative of the 2022 batch Vedant Avadhoot Sumant said,"After 5 cases were detected at GNLU, the administration rolled out a Google form to students on campus concerned about their health, out of which 23 students filled the Google form and 11 people showed up in the bus arranged to go to the hospital. Out of this, another 4-5 cases were detected, which is when the administration realised there are a lot more cases - majority of which are asymptomatic which is why steps had to be taken in an urgent manner. Soon after, a mail was sent to all students indicating that classes and exams will be conducted in online mode. The Gandhinagar Mahanagar Palika erected banners of containment zone in front of the hostels and the main gate of GNLU. Parents living in the states nearby came to the college to pick up their children, not wanting them to reside in what was officially declared a containment zone."On the measures being taken by the college administration Sumant said,"The steps taken by the University are in consonance with government protocols, because all steps by the administration are being supervised by the Gandhinagar Mahanagar Palika, who are present on campus from 9am - 5pm. Testing is carried out from 10am- 3/4pm. Both tests - Rapid Antigen Test and RT-PCR - are being conducted, and so far the results were coming late since they were also checking for the XE variant after conducting genealogy tests..For students staying in Gujarat who went back to their homes from campus, GNLU arranged for assistance in conducting the required tests and to ensure effective tracking.On the potential risks that may have caused the spike in cases, Sumant said, "Given the lopsided ratio of girls and boys on campus and since some hostel rooms were either locked or not maintained well, many boys were shifted to the Training Centre building. This, along with there not having been specific mess timings for batches, led to some instances of overcrowding which might have surged the number of cases on campus unknowingly.""The infrastructure on campus was not made ready enough to meet the needs of its students before they could come on campus," he added..The students on campus are currently in the midst of booking their tickets to go back to their hometowns after receiving a negative RT-PCR report. The college administration has accordingly sent out an email to its students extending the dates for submissions, presentations of seminar papers, etc.
Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar (GNLU) has been hit with a spurt of COVID-19 cases days after it resumed physical classes from April 4..More than 60 students tested positive for the virus, prompting the University to send its students back home and shut down..The college was previously functioning in hybrid mode from February 19, with students given the option to return to campus if they wished to. Recently, pursuant to instructions by the Director, who cited the example of other traditional universities in Gujarat starting physical operations, mandated physical attendance on campus.All students, except those who are primary caregivers at their homes or those undergoing assessment internships or preparing for civil services or judiciary exams, were required to be physically present on campus with a compulsory 70% attendance. .Mahesh Chaudhry, Dean of the Student Grievance Redressal Body told Bar & Bench,"It is difficult to exactly identify the instances as to why the cases surged. In all likelihood, it is due to the fact that students from across the country came to campus. Since the government restrictions had also relatively eased, the administration could not impose or make compulsory any of the aspects explicitly relaxed by the government such as wearing of masks, although most students wore masks."On the measures taken by the administration to ensure the safety of students post reopening, Chaudhry said,"The administration did foresee the overall number of students to be a lot, and appropriate steps were taken as per the Government of India guidelines. However, at any point in time, such things can happen. Even when students were found positive, they were immediately shifted to the VIP guesthouse, and all four meals for every student on campus were delivered to them in their respective rooms. Students were completely barred from going to the canteen, and if they wanted something, the food packets were delivered to their rooms," he added..Contrary to media reportage on the ongoing crisis at GNLU, which attributed the increased number of COVID-19 cases to the fresher's week conducted at the college, Chaudhry clarified that only about three days of the event took place, during which students were merely dressing up based on the themes of the specific day. The event was being carried out with appropriate protocols with no instance of overcrowding, he added. Further, the formal dinner that was to be arranged was cancelled by the authorities owing to the rise in COVID-19 cases among the students..Class Representative of the 2022 batch Vedant Avadhoot Sumant said,"After 5 cases were detected at GNLU, the administration rolled out a Google form to students on campus concerned about their health, out of which 23 students filled the Google form and 11 people showed up in the bus arranged to go to the hospital. Out of this, another 4-5 cases were detected, which is when the administration realised there are a lot more cases - majority of which are asymptomatic which is why steps had to be taken in an urgent manner. Soon after, a mail was sent to all students indicating that classes and exams will be conducted in online mode. The Gandhinagar Mahanagar Palika erected banners of containment zone in front of the hostels and the main gate of GNLU. Parents living in the states nearby came to the college to pick up their children, not wanting them to reside in what was officially declared a containment zone."On the measures being taken by the college administration Sumant said,"The steps taken by the University are in consonance with government protocols, because all steps by the administration are being supervised by the Gandhinagar Mahanagar Palika, who are present on campus from 9am - 5pm. Testing is carried out from 10am- 3/4pm. Both tests - Rapid Antigen Test and RT-PCR - are being conducted, and so far the results were coming late since they were also checking for the XE variant after conducting genealogy tests..For students staying in Gujarat who went back to their homes from campus, GNLU arranged for assistance in conducting the required tests and to ensure effective tracking.On the potential risks that may have caused the spike in cases, Sumant said, "Given the lopsided ratio of girls and boys on campus and since some hostel rooms were either locked or not maintained well, many boys were shifted to the Training Centre building. This, along with there not having been specific mess timings for batches, led to some instances of overcrowding which might have surged the number of cases on campus unknowingly.""The infrastructure on campus was not made ready enough to meet the needs of its students before they could come on campus," he added..The students on campus are currently in the midst of booking their tickets to go back to their hometowns after receiving a negative RT-PCR report. The college administration has accordingly sent out an email to its students extending the dates for submissions, presentations of seminar papers, etc.
