Varsities advise students to leave hostels, access to reading rooms, mess prohibited

Suspension of mess facilities, closure of libraries and common areas and restrictions on movements are some of the problems students may have to face as universities and educational institutions in the country advise them to leave hostels in view of the coronavirus outbreak.

The Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, has directed students to vacate their respective hostels latest by midnight of March 18.

"Mess and reading room facilities will be suspended from March 19. International students will continue to stay in the hostels till further orders with restricted mobility," the order by the institute said.

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, which had also directed students to vacate hostels, has allowed foreign students and PhD scholars whose research is at crucial stages to stay.

"No mess facilities will be allowed for off-campus students. The gymnasium, television room, table tennis room, music room, reading room will be shut and all-night canteens and juice centres closed," an official said.

The National Institute of Rourkela has said the students who are staying back will do it "at their own risk".

"Students willing to stay in hostels are allowed to do so at their own risk but they must intimate their respective wardens and sign a self declaration form. Boarders staying back and not-signing self declaration form will be levied a fine of Rs 25,000," an order issued by the chief warden said.

The Jamia Millia Islamia and Jawaharlal Nehru University too have advised students to leave hostels.

The classes in universities and educational institutions are suspended till March 31.

The number of novel coronavirus cases in India rose to 151 on Wednesday after four more were reported from various parts of the country.