University of Hyderabad decides to keep hostels open after Telangana lockdown

Following the lockdown in Telangana due to the COVID-19 pandemic, University of Hyderabad rolled back its decision to close all their hostels and cut the water supply.

This is a reversal of an earlier directive by the administration announcing closure the hostels from Monday.

The university said that the students who are stranded at the university will be given accommodation in their hostels with “minimal facilities” and “skeletal staff.” According to the university, at least 1000 students are stranded in the campus owing to travel disruptions and state borders being sealed as a measure to contain and prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease.

“The unprecedented escalation in lockdown announcements in Telangana and in many other parts of the country during the last 24 hours, combined with fresh advisories issued by University Grants Commission (UGC) and Ministry of Human Resource Development to universities, we are now facing the task of taking care of nearly 1000 students who could not go home for a variety of reasons,” UoH Vice Chancellor Appa Rao Podile said. 

“At the same time, we also have the responsibility towards the support staff who too require protection against COVID-19 through social distancing. In view of the emerging situation, the hostel administration will plan for the stranded students to continue to stay in the hostels, albeit with minimal facilities and very few staff, while requiring them (both students and staff) to comply strictly with all the guidelines issued by public health authorities and the university administration,” Podile added.

On March 20, the university had asked all the students studying in the varsity to vacate the hostel owing to the coronavirus pandemic. And on March 22, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao announced a lockdown in the state, suspending all public transportation, and ordering closure of all institutions except emergency services until March 31.  

Several students from union territories Jammu and Kashmir, Tamil Nadu and other states couldn’t leave UoH to go back home immediately because of travel restrictions and increased rates of air tickets. 

Speaking to TNM, Hadif Nisar, President of Jammu & Kashmir Students’ Association said, “Our students couldn’t leave immediately because several flights were cancelled, and we didn't want to risk travelling by train. While some managed to leave, several students couldn’t book tickets due to hiked prices.”

The students then had to raise funds for those who couldn’t afford the tickets. However, this too did not work as the Telangana government announced the lockdown.

Another student, Naresh from Tamil Nadu said that he was extremely worried when the university asked to vacate them three days ago. On the same day, Tamil Nadu had closed its borders, preventing vehicles from other states from entering. “We didn’t know what to do and were worried, but finally the university took a decision to allow us to stay,” Naresh said.