Context: Higher education institutes demand policy prioritisation to adapt to the challenges of pandemic.
Measures taken by the UGC: It recommended -
Constituting a task force and setting up helplines.
Roping in counsellors and mentors for providing mental health support and enabling the well being of all stakeholders.
Creating a team of wellinformed volunteers trained in life skills, including the NCC and the NSS.
State governments estimate and prepare for the required procurement of essentials, such as disinfectants and face masks, in each of their districts and zones in consultation with higher education institutes; it also asked them to draw out a plan for distribution.
Higher education institutes to set up oncampus facilities for the isolation of symptomatic persons and for quarantining of those who were in contact with infected persons.
Issues associated campuses of higher education institutes amidst pandemic
Policy neglect: Lack of serious consideration for the safety of campuses as University Grants Commission (UGC) and at State level, respective Education Departments.
UGC guidelines did not mention means and mechanisms for training the workforce for specialised tasks.
Loss of the national intellectual capital and scholarship: Highlighted by the reports of deaths of several teachers.
Abysmal financial state: Especially in state-run universities, combined with a lack of will on the part of State governments already overwhelmed by vaccination drive, has exacerbated the situation.
Explicit budgetary allocations for higher education institutes for COVID-19 management were found to be missing in States’ annual budgets.
Way forward
Inculcating COVID-19-appropriate behaviour: Besides classrooms and laboratories, the current setting needs to be replaced in campuses that house hostels, libraries, common rooms-cum-washrooms, canteens, auditoriums, gymnasiums, etc.
Provide financial assistance: Incumbent upon UGC to direct State governments to provide financial assistance to higher education institutes for managing COVID-19 crisis.
Resources could come from State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for 2021-22: Which was released at the recommendation of the Ministry of Home Affairs much before the normal schedule.