A notice from IIT-Kharagpur, circulated in the wake of this pandemic-like situation in India and across borders, states that a Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) notification issued on March 22, permits faculty members, researchers, scholars, fellows, and non-teaching staff, except employees attached to emergency services, to work from home till March 31.
“As a preventive measure, and to achieve social distancing, faculty members, researchers, scholars, fellows and non-teaching staffs (except employees attached to emergency services) are permitted and advised to work from home till March 31 or until further orders, whichever is earlier with immediate effect,” reads the notice.
“Foreign students and staff in the halls and hostels are permitted to continue in the same accommodation,” the notice adds, asking faculty members, researchers, and so on to be available on phone and e-mail.
Amit Khare, secretary, MHRD, said on Saturday, “In a preventive measure to contain the spread of coronavirus, the instructors and non-teaching staff of colleges, universities and schools are allowed to telecommute till March 31.”
The Ministry has asked all instructors and educational institutes to keep communicating with students and resolve their queries with regard to their subjects. The Ministry has also requested guardians, students, and teachers to not panic.
The number of COVID-19 positive patients in India rose to 396 on March 22. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), approximately 16,999 samples from 16,109 people have been tested for COVID-19 as of 10:00 am on March 22.
