3 months into academic session, getting PU hostel accommodation is a big deal

Even after three months into the academic session, getting a hostel accommodation continues to be elusive for many students on the Panjab University campus as their names are still stuck in the waiting lists.

While in some hostels, the waiting list has as many as 60-70 students, there are hostels that have no vacancy, but students have put in applications for an accommodation nonetheless, alleging unhygienic conditions in their allotted ones.

Besides, some who are waiting for their clearance and are waiting to be adjusted in any one of the PU hostels are paying a rent worth Rs 15,000 per month for a room in International hostel.

The dean students welfare (DSW) office is flooded with applications from students, some of whom are filing requests to get them adjusted in any room with two other students as rent at paying guest accommodation is unaffordable.

“We are trying our best to accommodate all the students in the hostels, not more than 400 students are there in the waiting list till now,” said Nandita Singh, DSW (women).

She added, “This time, we even assured that the guest rooms in each of the hostels, which were meant for the parents’ visit are converted into rooms to adjust the students. By October, we are expecting vacancies as MPhil students will leave for their dissertations and other projects.” As per the dean students welfare (Women), of the nine girls’ hostels, the most number of demands are coming for hostel number 6 and 7 because of the better living conditions in both of them.

Rupali Garg, currently staying at the International hostel submitted an application for accommodation in the north campus hostel. She wrote, “Apart from the total rent of Rs 8,000, the total bill I have been paying at the International hostel since two months is coming out to be Rs 15,000, which I cannot afford any longer. I have visited the north campus hostels including 3, 4 and 5 and none of them have hygienic conditions, thus it is requested to shift me to hostel number 6 or 7.”

Meanwhile, rest of the hostels have long waiting lists of students waiting to get an accommodation. A list of 40-45 students is sent weekly from the DSW office to the respective hostels for the clearance. Similarly, one of the residents of girls’ hostel number 3, Vanshika Jain, who gave her application to DSW to change her hostel, complained that since she has health issues, poor living conditions in hostel number 3 will worsen her condition.

Officials also say that the bigger problem is not to adjust the students but to convince some of the hostellers who have been staying in the same room since 4-5 years and they have been occupying single room, to which they are not even entitled to.