LUCKNOW: In order to put a leash on the spread of deadly novel coronavirus, the Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur (IIT-K) has issued directives to all its undergraduate, MBA, first-year MTech/MDes/MS students to vacate the hostels by March 19, a senior official of the institute said.
A task force set up by the institution had on Monday recommended a gradual reduction of students in the hostels to avoid a scenario in which a large number of students would have to be evacuated amid a shortage of transport facilities, said a highly placed source in the institution.
Only PhD, second year MTech/MDes/MS and fifth-year dual degree students, who are already on campus, have been permitted to stay on in the hostels beyond March 19. However, the postgraduate students away from the campus would be given special leave.
In case any PhD, second year MTech/MDes/MS and fifth year Dual Degree student wishes to leave the campus, special leave will be provided for the same. In addition, the following protocols are also being adopted:
All bookings for social functions in CC-I (community centre-1) and Aashiana that involve visitors from outside stand cancelled till further notice.
While an isolation facility has been set up on the second floor of community centre-II (CC-II), a specialist OPD being run at the health centre is being suspended from tomorrow until further notice.
Elderly people and children have been advised to go to the health centre only if it is essential.
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Meanwhile, amid the global lockdown of cities and academic institutions following the outbreak of novel corornavirus, IIT-Kanpur has announced to provide free online tutorials in Python to universities worldwide.
Popular globally, Python is an interpreted high-level general-purpose programming language. The free online support would be provided with many specialised online courses. According to an IIT-Kanpur communiqué, most colleges had to cancel their physical classes to prevent the coronavirus from spreading.