Kota: After the Uttar Pradesh government organised 300 buses to take students stranded in educational hub Kota home, the Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh governments too have decided to do the same, ThePrint has learned.
Students from all over the country come to Kota, Rajasthan, to prepare for competitive exams in engineering and medicine. However, after the nationwide lockdown was imposed to curb the spread of Covid-19, about 25,000 students were left stranded in the city. Several of them demanded they be allowed to go home, as Kota is a Covid-19 hotspot with 92 cases, as on 17 April.
“The MP and Chhattisgarh governments are on board. It’s a matter of a few days now,” a senior member of the Kota administration told ThePrint, on the condition of anonymity.
Mukesh Saraswat, director of the ALLEN Student Welfare Society — attached to ALLEN Careers Institute, the biggest coaching centre in Kota — told ThePrint: “Last night, the district administration told us that the UP government would send buses to pick up the stranded students from its state.”
Saraswat added: “The administration is in talks with the Bihar and Chhattisgarh governments too. We are staying prepared.”
Also read: Sanitisers to migrant shelters — Rajasthan’s Covid-19 fight is a public-private venture
Bihar isn’t pleased
The UP government’s decision came days after the Bihar government refused to take its students back. The students were given passes to leave Rajasthan by the District Magistrate, and reached the border of their home state in taxis with permits, but were refused entry by Bihar Monday.
“It was upsetting because many people had got their hopes up, including me. Nothing was clear about it at the time. Now that the UP government has decided to take back students, Bihar should do the same,” said a student from Siwan who did not wish to be named.
“Our studies have been completely disrupted and if other governments take their students away, it will make those left behind feel worse,” the student added.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has strongly objected to the UP government’s decision, labelling it gross injustice.
“You cannot have two sets of rules for nationwide lockdown. It will defeat the purpose of the lockdown,” he said Friday evening, referring to the apparent difference in treatment meted out to migrant labourers and students. “The way special buses are being sent to ferry students from Kota is injustice with the principles of the lockdown.”
Bihar Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar said the UP government’s move would open a Pandora’s box, despite the other state’s insistence that the buses were sent with food, water bottles, masks and sanitisers.
“If you allow students, then on what grounds will you stop migrant labourers?” asked the top official.
Nitish Kumar’s government has so far ignored pleas from students — even young women in Hyderabad who had pleaded for help in returning home through a video that went viral.
The recent incident of migrant labourers assembling in large numbers at Mumbai’s Bandra railway station, apparently owing to rumours about train services restarting, also seemed to unnerve the Bihar government. Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi had appealed to the labourers not to return during the lockdown period, and not to be carried away by fake news.
“We have already provided financial assistance to over nine lakh migrant labourers by transferring Rs 1,000 in their accounts. We have received around 16 lakh applications through an app we had launched and we are processing them fast. The principle of lockdown should not be violated,” BJP leader Modi told ThePrint.
Minister from Nitish’s JD(U), the BJP’s ally, are also livid over UP’s move.
“UP CM Adityanath has been defying the diktats of PM Narendra Modi. Even during the exodus of Bihari labourers, buses were made available by the UP government to take them to the border of Bihar,” said a minister who did not wish to be named.
Also read: Kota was once a prosperous industrial hub. Now it has just 1 factory left — exam coaching
Arrangements for students in Kota
The Kota administration has set up eight emergency helplines for students, which they can use to call for food.
The ALLEN Students’ Welfare Society has set up two helplines of its own: One for psychological support, and the other for academic help. Additionally, 8,000 food packets are delivered to students who don’t have pantries and whose hostels are not providing food, in a bid to ensure no one goes hungry.
Students were even more anxious to go home because the National Testing Agency (NTA) — the body in charge of organising competitive exams — gave them the option to change their exam centres when the lockdown was extended to 3 May.
“On 14 April, the NTA gave students the option to change their exam centres, and the option remains open till 3 May. But when the lockdown was extended, ruling out the possibility of students moving back home, they got frustrated,” said a source in the ALLEN Career Institute, adding: “The students here were under the impression that after the 14th, they would be allowed to go home.”
Relief for some, mounting concern for others
There is obvious relief on the faces of students from Uttar Pradesh.
“I’m glad to be going home. My parents are really worried, and I would also be more comfortable at home, especially since the month of Ramzan is also coming up. The food they’re giving us here is good, but I don’t think it will suit me when fasting begins,” said Alkama Praveen, who is preparing for the NEET.
Rhea Chaubey, who is preparing for her pre-medical exams, added: “There’s a lot of stress, and don’t feel like being here. Doubt classes are off and I’m really looking forward to being home and I’m glad they’ve made the arrangements.”
However, for those from other states, it’s a long, frustrating wait.
“I tried arranging for a taxi to take me home, but they refused saying it was an area full of Naxalites. It would help a lot if the Chhattisgarh government helped its students here,” said Ankit Tiwari from that state.
“Lots of students don’t have smartphones either because they are discouraged from using them by the coaching centres. How are we supposed to manage?” Tiwari added.
(With additional reporting by Dipak Mishra in Patna)
Also read: How Mahendragarh, once Haryana’s ‘Kalapani’, transformed into a thriving educational hub
Student in jiwaji university
Exactly true situation covered up. I am also in kota. The students are going through a very insane moment.
Punjab ke students kab aayenge
Bihar ka CM kha chala gaya ha
Kuch socho CM sir…
student ka jaan ja raha ha or ap lg politic khal raha ho… please student ko kota sa la aao ..
UP CM ko salute ha …. good idea approaching here… thanks l lot for that work…
Bihar ka CM jaldii kuch kro …
Bihar CM’s fear is unnecessary in view of samll number of students and their tender age.
Bihar CM’s stand is deplorable. Ccomparing young students in their teens to hardened migrant labourers is inhuman to say the least. The number of students is few thousands and are disciplined unlike the labourers who are in millions and unmanageable. Now that India has already tamed the covid19 curve, Bihar CM’s fear to let his own bright students in is unnecessary. He should, in fact, join hands with other eastern states to facilitate young students reach homes at the earliest, ofcource, with due anti-corona precautions, icluding rapid tests, if warranted by thermal tests. One has to be kind to the young in the face of unprecedented global calamity. What sets a statesman apart from a lawmaker is how he reaches the weakest even through the toughest of the chhallenges. Time Ntish picks up a leaf or two from the books of PM Modi and CM Yogi!
All we have to decide where to use the words like ‘evacuate’, ‘rescue’, ‘stranded’ in present scenario.
The Purpose of lock-down was to ensure minimal interaction among the people. Everybody has to cooperate in such situation.
It is wise to remain wherever you are. These are difficult times, not to get home.
Where people are facing difficulties, these have to be sorted out rather than migration.
मेरा मानना है कि बिहार सरकार को चाहिए कि उसके नागरिक जो भी हो या तो वो पढने वाले हो,काम करने वाले हो या किसी भी लाइन से हो और इंडिया मे जिस भी किसी राज्य मे हो और उस राज्य कि सरकार उन्हे उनके घर भेजना चाहती है या भेजने मे मदद कर रही है ये किसी भी राज्य का नागरिक है तो उस राज्य का ये फर्ज बनता है कि अपने नागरिकों को सुरक्षित अपने राज्य मे लाए और उन्हे जरूरी चेकअप करके अपने राज्य के insulation मे निर्धारित समय के लिए रखे और उसके बाद फिर से रि-चेकअप करके उनके घर भेजे
लेकिन यह बहुत-बहुत ही निराशाजनक बात है कि उन्हे अपने ही राज्य सरकार अपने ही राज्य मे आने से बोर्डर पर रोक लगा दी जाती है बहुत-बहुत शर्म की बात है
At Bihar , transit passes, to bring back our kids are denied . Principled approach of MR CM ar incapability bro do any thing ?
You are not doing anything as Government but to deny pass is disturbing fact.
I urge Chief minister to instruct to issue passes to their DM,s
They are using CM thoughts in denying passes.
Should we leave our kids there or atleast go to support them . Coaching institutes are telling them to leave ,but our CM is principled
I’m pursuing for JEE Mains , taking classes from kota coaching. My parents are worried due to extension of lockdown date, I’m from bihar, bt our CM is not allowing us to enter .
It is really stressful, and finding difficulty in studying here.
Sir please do same as done by UP’s CM , he have done great work.
Covid-19 did not make distinction among classes but our rulers do it brazenly. In times of pandemic India becomes a polity for the rich and the middle-classes!
लेबर की संख्या बहुत जयादा है . इनलोग की आबादी पर कोई कण्ट्रोल नहीं है . 15 दिन में इनकी हालत बेहाल हो गई . इस लॉक डाउन से ये साफ़ होगया की भारत की 130 करोड़ की आबादी हाथी के सफ़ेद दांत की तरह दिखता है. बिहार की हालत तो इतनी खराब है की अगर आदमी राज्य के बाहर काम नहीं करे तो भूखा मर जाये . योगी ने कोटा बस भेजा तो नितीश को मिर्ची लगी फिर उसे भी भेजना था .नितीश के पास बस तो छोडो डीजल भी नहीं होगा . बिहार सरकार के पास कितना बस है नितीश को मालूम है. सारा लोग एक दूसरे को टोपी पहनाने में लगे है . अपना सिस्टम को सही करो .योगी से नीतीश का क्या मतलब है दोनों अलग राज्य है। बराबरी किस बात के लिए ?.
GUJARAT government make any arrangements for their students my son is also at kota and wants to come back to SOMNATH GUJARAT
Salutes to the U.P Government for its decision in the past and now …to bring back migrant workers and now students to their homes a humanitarian act that will go a long to fight this corona pandemic.
All citizens have a right to be self quarantined under medical guidance in their own homes an urgent need today.
May God give us success in all our constructive ventures agains the virus.???