The campus reopened after eleven months for those final-year Higher Degree (HD) students that opted for an on-campus thesis. It was a crucial decision to allow these students back, as their course required hands-on work in laboratories and other facilities on campus. The projects they are expected to undertake in the following months will be invaluable as they prepare for their dissertations. The English Press Club got an opportunity to interact with some of them to understand the arrangements made on campus for their arrival and stay, and their apprehensions about the same.
In November 2020, they received an email from the administration stating that the following semester would continue in the online mode. However, on January 9, another email noted that the campus would re-open for them alone.
The EPC learnt that most parents were comfortable with sending them back to campus and seconded the decision made by the administration. However, a few parents were apprehensive, considering the quality of medical care available in Pilani and possible exposure to the virus en route to campus. The relatively low number of students on campus was, however, a relief. With some classes expecting only around ten students to be in attendance, effective social distancing could be practised.
The administration took several measures to safely welcome the students back to campus. Electronic kiosks were erected to record students’ movements in and out of campus, and security was stringent at the entry points to ensure restricted access. Further, each hostel room was restricted to a single occupant. The rooms were furnished and students were provided with bathing essentials. A quarantine period of three days was enforced, and students were tested for COVID-19 on arrival. Block 1 of Meera Bhawan was used as a temporary quarantine shelter.
Among the students who returned, one tested positive for COVID-19 and was made to quarantine for fourteen days. During this period, temperature checks were conducted regularly and personal contact was kept to a minimum while documenting the students’ entry and exit from their hostels. Further, washrooms were sanitised and cleaned twice a day. Students and staff members also took precautions on a personal level.
The Medical Center made sure to individually contact each student to inquire about their well-being. One student also spoke about how the 11-month lockdown period had caused her mental health to deteriorate. She mentioned how she approached MPower and received the necessary assistance. Although students miss going to their favourite spots such as Looters, ANC, and the redis, returning to campus life has had a positive impact.
As classes went back to being conducted offline, several students reported a change in their sleep schedules and a drastic reduction in screen time. With improved interpersonal interactions came an enhanced rapport with professors. There was general consensus with respect to increased productivity, a more stable frame of mind, and a smooth transition from the online mode of classes to offline.
The return of these students on campus which may have been marked with initial hues of nervousness has now become a happy reality. Although the fear of the pandemic still looms, they hope to enjoy their last months of college life to the fullest.