How many are aware that there are about 1,856 students from other countries studying at Osmania University right now? If anyone is thinking that most of these students are from African nations or from the West Asia only, please see these numbers.
Of the 1,469 male and 387 female foreign students, a vast majority are from Somalia - 352, Sudan - 213, Afghanistan - 236, Djibouti - 66, and Ethiopia - 54. Interestingly, there is a significant number from Uzbekistan - 256, Turkmenistan - 119, Iran - 23 and Iraq - 59, too. Also, there are students from China - 26, Syria - 24, South Africa - 15, United Kingdom - 9, Canada - 10, Australia - 3 and hold your breath - United States - 61!
With the current lockdown, all these students have faced forced eviction as all educational institutions were asked to remain shut, including hostels.
However, OU authorities have decided to keep the international hostels of both men and women open, on humanitarian grounds, informed senior OU professors declining to be identified, as they are not authorised to do so.
Unlike other countries, the varsity administration did not want to leave them in the lurch as other than those from developed nations, students mostly come with bare minimum finances with support from respective governments, they explained.
However, the international students of OU have been advised to remain confined to their hostels, maintain personal and locational hygiene by washing their hands often, keeping their surroundings clean, and avoiding shaking hands.
With no mess facility available, foreign students generally make their own arrangements for cooking, the professors disclosed.
Meanwhile, University Foreign Relations Office (UFRO) register G.B. Reddy advised students suffering from severe cold, cough and fever, continuously for three to four days, to quarantine themselves and get admitted to Gandhi Hospital or Fever Hospital immediately. He also made them aware of the medical helpline numbers, including ‘104’.
Students were instructed to follow the social distancing norm to the maximum and advised not to venture out or visit crowded places.
“All foreign students are advised to cooperate with the college, hostel and university staff, to prevent the spread of the virus. Contact us for any further queries,” said Mr. Reddy, in his advisory issued a few days ago.
