Delhi University affiliated colleges are doing the best they can to help the students during the COVID-19 pandemic which includes efforts of conducting a one to one interaction with the students in order to ensure their mental wellness and provide fee support along with internet data cards and laptops for those students in need. The colleges have started to put in the efforts after a student of LSR died by suicide over financial constraints in continuing with studies.
As per reports, Aishwarya - a second-year B.Sc Mathematics (Hons) student from Lady Sri Ram College for Women and an IAS aspirant was found hanging at her residence in Shadnagar House in Ranga Reddy District Telangana. In the suicide note, the student mentioned that she did not want to burden her parents with her educational expenses. She returned home from Delhi in March after the students in hostels were asked to go home by the college officials due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Lady Sri Ram College Principal - Susma Sharma, the college administration has announced a reduction in the fees for a few of the purses by setting up a committee to provide laptops while also allowing some of the second-year students to reside in hostels.
The principal while speaking to the media stated that considering the fact that the students are unable to avail certain fasciitis of the colleges due to being off-campus, the college has removed such charges from the fee this academic year which has, in turn, led to a substantial reduction in the fee. Along with this, the college has also made provisions for students to pay the fee in installments.
Furthermore considering the exceptional circumstances of COVID-19 the current second-year students will be allowed to stay in college hostels after submitting fresh applications and based on the need after the college considers the incoming fresh batch and the current third-year students who are already accommodated in hotels.
Miranda House
Miranda House Principal Bijaylaxmi Nanda on the other hand has stated that the college is working on facilitating internet data packs to students on whom the burden has increased due to classes being conducted online due to the pandemic.
She further pointed out that the need of providing attention to mental wellness along with just online classes was released during the first month of the lockdown for which necessary steps were taken focusing on one-to-one interactions. The college is also looking into providing financial support to students.
St. Stephens College
The staff association at St. Stephens College has also approached the college principal demanding to set up a committee to reach out to the students facing financial issues. Staff association president Nandita Narain stated that since the pandemic has caused such distress in the society there is an increased financial hardship and some of the students are facing difficulty in continuing online classes and paying the fees.
She further pointed out that a few of the faculty members have been receiving requests from students for help with payment of fees and also obtaining devices to attend the online classes. More students are yet to reach out to the authorities.
Shri Ram College of Commerce
Shri Ram College of Commerce Principal Simrit Kaur has stated that the college has been receiving requests for scholarships and laptops since the lockdown in March 2020 adding that there are few students who needed help with laptops and the college has tried facilitating each student with the help required. The college is also providing 24-hour counselling services to the students in order to make sure that if the students face any issue it can be addressed at the right time.
Delhi University colleges have remained closed since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic while the classes are being conducted for the students in the online mode since.
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