Disclaimer: The answers from the Chief Warden published here are identical in content and have been edited for clarity.
COVID CASES
- What is the situation on campus right now? How many students, faculty, and staff are COVID positive? What is the exact number?
ANS: The number of cases are updated by the CRT of the campus, from time to time. This is the only communication students should believe.
- There have been rumours that five or six members of the Registrar’s office have contracted COVID. Other rumours that have been circulating have said that the Kamal’s family from the C’not restaurant and students and parents from the BET schools have contracted the virus. How much of this is true? Which areas or zones inside campus have the cases?
ANS: Rely on communication from the CRT only, the rest are just rumours. The Rana Pratap Marg area, near C’Not, has cases. Remember in this tough time, we can at least stop spreading fake news, if not the virus.
- How are the COVID patients being treated? Where are they isolated for the quarantine period?
ANS: All cases so far have been treated at home under the supervision of the medical centre. The Institute is following all the government guidelines in this regard. One can get information about isolation/positive cases on campus from the following link:
https://ipcservices.bits-pilani.ac.in/quarantine/home-quaran.aspx
(Note: The link only opens with BITS WiFi. Please view the PDF files attached below to get an idea of what the webpage looks like.)
4. If they require medical attention, is it available in Pilani itself? Or do people need to visit Delhi? How reliable are the current facilities and what is the maximum capacity?
ANS: We are all aware of the medical facilities at Pilani. In case of any emergency, there is a backup plan to send the patient to the nearest best hospital at Rewari/Delhi/Jaipur.
- What is the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for dealing with COVID?
ANS: It is as per the government’s guidelines. The Institute does not interfere in this matter.
- If an outbreak happens on campus, will the students from the ‘17 batch be sent back home?
ANS: First of all, we are taking all care and are hopeful for the non-occurrence of any outbreak. Sending students back home from the campus will be our last option if something like that happens.
- The Pilani campus used to allow local residents to move in and out freely. What is the current situation regarding the entry and exit of local Pilani residents inside the campus?
ANS: Since Pilani has been free from any positive cases so far, only limited outsiders were allowed for day-to-day operation of the campus. More restrictions will be imposed by the Institute’s administration to minimize the entry of outsiders.
LOCKDOWN
- The District Collector of Jhunjhunu imposed the first lockdown, where the campus was declared a containment zone until April 9, 2021. On April 14, 2021, Section 144 was imposed on the Pilani campus till midnight of April 17, 2021. What made the government officials decide on these lockdown measures? Have they served the purpose they were intended for?
ANS: We don’t have the authority to comment on the local administration’s decision. Since the District Magistrate (DM) is empowered to make final decisions, we are sure that there must be some logic in making decisions.
- How exactly has the lockdown been implemented? Members of the ‘17 batch have mentioned that there are police personnel patrolling the campus. Were the police officers involved only in the second iteration of the lockdown, or were they also present during the first lockdown?
ANS: The police and government doctors were and are part of the lockdown process and its implementation. During lockdown II, the CRT alerted the campus residents about the strict lockdown.
- Undergraduate members of Meera Bhavan mentioned that they are being restricted to the hostel compound itself. However:
- Since the female PhD students do not have their meals at the Meera mess, they could go outside the hostel compound.
- The boys’ hostels have their messes located outside the hostel building, allowing them to walk around freely, despite the lockdown.
Have there been any steps taken to restrict the movement of PhD women and undergraduate men outside the hostel? How uniform are the rules and policies regarding movement on campus for students, staff, and faculty members?
ANS: The rules are the same for everyone. Since some of the PhD students (female) take meals with their friends who are residing in the quarters at Pooja Marg, on humanitarian grounds they were allowed to move. The same was true for boys, as they were taking their meals in different messes, they were allowed to move only. This movement is strictly restricted to eating at the mess.
- Members of Meera Bhavan also mentioned that supplies from Akshay (BITS-COOP) were regularly provided in the Meera visitors’ room, as they weren’t allowed to go out and buy groceries from Akshay. Has a similar system been set up for boys’ hostels, BITS staff, and faculty members?
ANS: Similar facility was made available for the boys at their respective mess. They have been advised to order anything from the BITS COOP via their hostel chowkidar, if needed.
- Anything else that you would like to mention? Does the Institute have a message for the students about these events?
ANS: There is nothing to panic about at this moment. We sincerely request all the students to not believe any rumour. The CRT from time to time updates the status.