open issues

Below are the latest developments regarding the major uncertainties and issues that we have informed and discussed with the administration but await final decisions.

plans for august semester 2020

The mail sent on July 15 with subject: 'Grades for 2020-Jan and Plans for 2020-Aug semester', gave details about the coming semester which will be conducted on an outline platform and measures taken by the institute to mitigate problems that may arise. We have compiled a list of common queries regarding it and relayed them to the admin. The mail that was sent can be found here.

Return to campus - GENERAL

We understand the anxiety associated with the uncertainty of return, especially for PhDs but the Institution is not able to provide a fixed date yet due the erratic circumstances. The latest decision is no return till June 30 after which a yet undecided phase-wise or batch-wise return plan will be followed.

In light of IISER Bhopal's Hostels being converted to quarantine centers without informing the students, we have written to COSA explicitly asking for such a situation to be prevented from arising in IISER Pune. If it is absolutely unavoidable, and if other buildings on campus cannot be used instead, we requested them to inform us beforehand and store our belongings carefully. The mail that was sent can be found here.

RAC deadline and return guidelines for phds

We understand that both these mails have taken iPhDs/PhDs by surprise. There are many inconveniences such as difficulty of procuring medical certificate for the return form. On the other hand, there maybe insufficient data, lack of net, fragile mental health and other issues for RACs and Annual Reviews. We have talked to a few PhDs and many have even written to us. We have sent a mail with compiled problems and recommendations after gathering some more data and assessing the situation. It has been attached here. We strongly urge students facing any sort of issue with regards to their RAC to contact and explain their situation to their Principal Investigators at the earliest. In case of severe difficulties, please consider involving your Department Chair or the Academic Deans. The Institute has separately written to funding agencies to extend fellowship of senior PhDs by at least 6 months along with a joint request by Directors of all IISERs.

We followed up asking for updates on the issues with the form and the date of the orientation session with the Medical committee. The mail can be found here. We have been told that these issues will be discussed in the next COVID task force meeting. Student council involvement in the Task Force remains undecided. For now, all queries regarding insurance for the travelling students and students on campus can be addressed to aniket.phule@gmail.com.

We have been further informed that the Institute has written to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra and Principal Secretary (Higher Education) of Maharashtra, requesting permission to restart research activities by PhD students. The Principal Scientific Advisor, GoI has been requested to advise the GoI to enable the same. The Directors of all seven IISERs have also jointly written to MHRD to facilitate return approval. Institute authorities will be getting in touch with senior PhDs and iPhDs to give more details and address their concerns.

Quarantine of returning students

As Pune itself is a containment zone, we understand that first batch of returning students will have apprehensions with regards to their safety and would like to know of the procedures in place for the mandatory 14-day self quarantine before they even start to work. Maharashtra state government extended the lock down till 31st July. All plans for bringing students back from outside are on hold.

We are inquiring to get more details on precautions the COVID task force plans on taking with respect to social distancing and use of various shared spaces.

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