‘MANIT Hostel Made Quarantine Centre, What About Our Belongings?’

Video Editor: Deepthi Ramdas
Video Producer: Aastha Gulati

A few days ago, we got to know that our college – the Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology in Bhopal – was being converted into a quarantine centre, especially the hostels.

This raised worry and panic among students because many had left their belongings back in their rooms when they left for their Holi break. Colleges were shut down soon after so not everyone returned.

Therefore, most of our belongings like laptops, original documents and certificates, are still at the hostel premises. On 28 May, we got an official notification which said that students' belongings will be packed in the presence of the district administration and the college authority. Our worry, of course, is who takes responsibility if they are misplaced.

The college has maintained that this is a national cause and while we too stand by their response to the coronavirus pandemic, it is unfair that we are being told to ‘sacrifice’. We have still not been told when and how our belongings will be packed.

We were further told our locks would be broken and our things like documents and certificates will be packed and stored in a safe space. Our hostel has more than 300
rooms. So, how will the administration manage to keep all the stuff out of these 300 rooms after packing it up?

At a time when everyone should stay indoors, some students even went to college to collect their belongings in a state of panic.

While the circular states that there will be proper videography of the packing process and students things will be kept safely, those videos have not been made available to date.

There is also confusion on whom to ask or go to for collecting our belongings.

“They initially said that it will be kept at the premises, other authorities said it will be kept in the mechanical room. So we request the college authorities to ensure and tell us who will be responsible and give an official notification as to who we have to go to for collecting our belongings.”

MANIT Student

Students feel that converting hostels should be a last resort and there are other alternatives for example the New Teaching Block. The new building has been empty as well, perhaps it would have been easier to convert that into a quarantine centre instead.

These decisions should be taken keeping in mind the interest of students.

(The Quint has reached out to Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology. The story will be updated if there is a response.)

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