The hostel issue at Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) has now reached a serious stage, with many students cancelling their admissions because they were not allotted hostel accommodation. Repeated demands have been made by students and student organisations to the university administration to start new hostels, but the administration has not taken any positive steps in this regard.
Students alleged that every year, the university introduces new courses, but no new hostels are built for the students taking admission in those courses. At present, many students are cramped together in a single room. Most of their time is being wasted in the struggle to secure hostel accommodation.
Some students from the Department of Political Science surveyed over the past month and gathered information. Around 200 students participated by filling out a Google form.
The key findings show that a majority of SC, ST and OBC category students have not been allotted hostel rooms. Women students have also been denied hostel facilities. This data has been forwarded to the SC-ST Commission, the Women’s Commission and other responsible authorities and organisations via email.
'These students come from socially, educationally and economically backward sections'
"The students admitted to the university must be provided with hostel accommodation. All construction work for G-10 has been completed. The students who have not yet been allotted hostel accommodation must be given rooms immediately. Because of non-allotment, the dropout rate is rising. Most of these students are first-generation learners, with family incomes below â‚ą1 lakh. Out of 200 students surveyed, over 110 were female. These students come from socially, educationally and economically backward sections," said Abhishek Shelka, a student from the Department of Political Science.
'Students from over 10 different departments have had to cancel their admissions'
Another student, Arvind Ingle, expressed that it has been one month since all departments of the university reopened, but more than 200 students are still without hostel accommodation. “We conducted a socio-economic survey of these 200 students, and the situation is extremely distressing. Students from over 10 different departments have had to cancel their admissions because they could not afford to stay without hostel facilities. The university must take a policy-based decision and immediately provide hostels to needy students,” he said.
'There is clear partiality in hostel allotment'
A female student, who chose to remain anonymous, highlighted, “There is clear partiality in hostel allotment. Professors who are given the additional charge of hostel administration are giving preference to students from their own departments. Even students pursuing double post-graduate degrees (from departments like Pali, Law, Hindi) are being given special consideration, while other students are being denied hostel accommodation for unjust reasons.”
