Mumtaz Alam | India Tomorrow

NEW DELHI/ALIGARH, MAY 1— The Aligarh Muslim University is starting evacuation of around 3,000 students from today and sending them back to their homes in buses in view of the rise in cases of Coronavirus in the Aligarh district and likely extension of the nationwide lockdown 2.0.  

Through its order on April 29, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had allowed states for transportation of stranded students and other people to their homes.

“As the students and other people stranded in different parts of the country owing to the ongoing nationwide lockdown have been allowed by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt of India, to move to their hometowns, the Aligarh Muslim University has taken up the matter with the Uttar Pradesh government and started the process to safely transport the students to their respective homes,” AMU Vice Chancellor’s office said on Thursday.

The university is starting to send the students to their homes in phased manner from today. In the first phase, students belonging to Uttar Pradesh districts will be sent to their homes.

“The process of transportation of students will start from May 1, 2020 and buses will be available at the Proctor's office,” said AMU Registrar Abdul Hamid IPS in a notice and added that no classes will be held in May and June and therefore students are being sent to their homes.

“The students are advised to avail this facility as no class, examination, and entrance test are scheduled for May and June 2020 and it is important to get all the students safely to their hometowns in view of the rising cases of COVID-19 in Aligarh district and consequent potential risk of COVID-19 infection in hostels,” reads the notice.

AMU Registrar said the transportation of the students will be done as per the arrangements made by Uttar Pradesh government. “Initially, travel arrangements by buses for students residing in Uttar Pradesh are being made by the district administration and it will be followed for other states including Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand etc.”, he said.

3,000 Students Are in AMU Hostels Since Nationwide Lockdown Imposed on March 24

Talking to India Tomorrow over phone, AMU’s Public Relations Officer Prof.   M. Shafey Kidwai said the arrangement is voluntary and the university is not forcing students to go home.

“Around 3,000 students are there in the hostels. As the Ministry of Home Affairs has allowed students to go home, so we are making this arrangement for them, but we are not forcing them to go. If they wish they can go. We are arranging transportation with the cooperation of the district administration,” said Prof. Kidwai.

“There are around 1,200 students from Uttar Pradesh. They are being sent today. I am again saying this is just voluntary. If they want to be with their families during Ramazan and on the occasion of Eid, they can go. If they want to stay here they can. We are also in touch with officials of other states like Bihar, West Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir and we are trying to send them as well,” he informed.

The nationwide lockdown in order to contain the spread of Coronavirus was imposed on March 24 for 21 days. It was extended on April 14 for 19 days. It is most likely that the lockdown 2.0, which is ending on May 3, will be extended further.

Meanwhile, the University Grants Commission on Wednesday said that the college sessions across the country will begin in August for current students and in September for new students.

Prof. Kidwai said: “The lockdown is going on. Classes are not being held. All classes are being held on internet through Google classes, so they can learn from anywhere.”

The AMU has asked its students living in the hostels to avail this transportation facility.

“The students are required to avail this facility as the same may not be available in future depending upon the situation,”, the AMU Registrar said in the notice.