The Gauhati University (GU) has decided to open its residential hostels for new students in January.
This university’s decision comes in violation of the Assam education department’s newly issued standard operation procedure, which clearly prohibits the reopening of residential hostels in the state.
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According to sources, the university has invited online applications from newly-enrolled students for hostel accommodation in the current academic year.
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Interested students will be able to submit the online application until midnight on December 31.
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“We have invited online application for hostel accommodation from first semester students enrolled in different bachelors and postgraduate courses in the university,” said a source in the university.
Officials of GU said that the university hostels have already been functioning for the final year students and all Covid-19 protocols are being followed to prevent infection within the university campus.
The university administration said that it is willing to reopen all its 23 hostels since normalcy has gradually returned to the state.
A considerable number of students, who have been attending regular classes in the university, have been forced to live as paying-guests or in rented accommodations.
They had to find alternate accommodation facilities as the university hostels have remained shut since the country-wide lockdown imposed in March.
The state education department is yet to take a decision on the reopening of colleges affiliated to the GU.
There is a need to reopen hostels as many students reside in places with poor internet connectivity and hence, have difficulty in accessing online classes being conducted by colleges and universities.
The absence of private and public hostel facilities is adversely affecting in conducting regular classes in educational institutions of the state.