Telangana: Osmania University PhD students urge continuation of hostel facilities

Doctoral students of Osmania University urged the university authorities to restore power, water and university mess so that they can continue their research work. In a representation to the OU in-charge Vice-Chancellor Arvind Kumar, a group of research scholars on Tuesday said that the Covid-induced lockdown and its guidelines from the Centre and the State have led to the closing of the hostels and research labs in OU from March-2020 till date, impacting the academic and research activities.

"The research scholars have lost about 9 months of their research activities. Besides, the lockdown had impacted the academic and research activities, particularly, those pursuing PhD students laboratory work, fieldwork and others," the representation stated.

The scholars said that it is causing them both personal and professional problems like breakdown of equipment, the inefficiency of chemicals, less production of publications, lack of fellowship disbursal, increasing loss of employment opportunities etc.

The students alleged that from the time they are back to the hostels to restart their research work the University had not provided them with mess and potable water. However the students were given electricity and bore water facility. "Despite lack of facility we have started working for our projects to accomplish our study objectives", they said.

Meanwhile an OU circular stated that from April 27 onwards it was decided to shut down the power supply and water facility and asked the boarders to vacate hostels. The research scholars said that they have already lost the progress in their PhD working during 2020 and shutting down hostels would put them at a further loss in 2021, severely affecting their research work.

Against this backdrop the research scholars have asked the in-charge VC to continue the hostels and assured that they would strictly adhere to the Covid-19 guidelines.