Bhubaneswar: Utkal University in Odisha capital has postponed its mid-semester examinations indefinitely following a sudden health panic across its hostels, where several boarders fell ill with symptoms of waterborne infections, including jaundice and severe diarrhoea.
An official circular confirming the immediate suspension of the exams was issued by the office of the Chairman of the Postgraduate (PG) Council.
The outbreak came to light shortly after female students returned to campus on October 27 following the Durga Puja break. Two boarders residing in Ladies Hostel No. 7 tested positive for jaundice on October 31 and November 1. Papesh Kumar Lenka, assistant professor of sociology and university media in charge, confirmed that both affected students were subsequently hospitalised.
As symptoms spread across two women’s hostels, public health officials, medical teams, and a surveillance unit from the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) inspected the campus premises to assess the situation. Suspecting water contamination, university authorities immediately halted the use of the campus borewell, which serves as the primary water source for the 300 residents of Hostel 7, and initiated a comprehensive cleaning and sanitation of all hostel storage tanks. Medical personnel collected blood samples from more than 30 students to screen for further infections, while BMC teams secured water samples for laboratory examination.
In response to the emergency, the university requested direct intervention from the state health department on Monday and launched extensive containment measures. A dedicated control room, a temporary pharmacy, and a public health service centre have been set up on campus to handle medical concerns. To guarantee safe drinking water, the administration arranged and distributed roughly 1,000 litres of purified mineral water across the hostels, alongside issuing advisories instructing all boarders to consume only boiled water. Campus-wide awareness drives are currently underway to educate students on safe drinking practices, strict food hygiene, and the importance of reporting early illness symptoms immediately.