In an effort to lend a helping hand to students who have lost their parents to the pandemic, Allahabad University (AU) has decided to offer them free education on its campus.
Many other Prayagraj-based educational institutions have already decided to offer similar help to their present and prospective students.
AU public relations officer (PRO), Jaya Kapoor said the prevailing corona crisis in the country for the past two years has had a deep impact on the lives of the people and caused great emotional, psychological, financial and social distress. Approximately 9,000 children have lost both parents due to Covid-19 in the country. The university has a responsibility as a part of its commitment to social welfare to reach out to such children who have lost both the parents and are facing the challenge of continuing their education, she said.
“In view of this fact, AU’s vice-chancellor, Prof Sangita Srivastava has informed district administration that AU will offer supernumerary seats for students who have lost both parents due to Covid-19. There will also be a complete waiver of the fees along with any other charges related to academics for these children.”
To cater to the rest of the needs of such students, fostering (where child who needs home is taken into one’s home and taken care of without formal adoption), and ‘Earn while you learn’ schemes will be utilized to prepare them for a better future, she explained.
‘Earn while you learn’ is a novel scheme being followed by some universities of the country including AU wherein enrolled students help their departments or central facilities like a library in performing small duties (arranging books or files) against which they are paid some remuneration.
To claim admission at AU under the supernumerary quota, the PRO informed that only those students would be eligible to avail the facility at AU who have passed the intermediate examination and can produce death certificates of both the parents citing Covid-19 as the reason for their deaths.
The PRO also said the benefits that would be extended to the new entrants at AU would also be given to already enrolled students of AU who too have lost their parents to the pande
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