JNU students protest delay in allocation of hostel rooms

NEW DELHI: A group of students are on a protest at the Jawaharlal Nehru University here alleging they are yet to be assigned hostel rooms despite being in the second semester which has forced them to put up at rented accommodations. The protesting students began a sit-in at the Dean of Students' office in the university on Monday evening. They said the demonstration would continue till their demands are met. There was no immediate response from the JNU administration over this. The protesters also claimed that they have been locked inside the office and denied "basic necessities of accessing the toilets".

In a statement, the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) said, "Students have been sitting inside the Dean of Students' Office since Monday, demanding hostels. Despite being into the second semester, students are being forced to stay in rented rooms and pay exorbitant rents." The students also alleged that the handover of the new hostel Barak was being delayed, adding to the woes of the students.

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"The construction of Barak Hostel is with the CPWD, which has given the contract to a private company. This private company has failed to pay the workers and supervisors on time, due to which work has been stopped. The handover of the hostel is being delayed indefinitely as a result," the JNUSU claimed. "The students have also demanded that all women students who are in dorms be given hostels immediately. The Narmada dorm, a women-only dorm right now, can then be temporarily converted to an accommodation for men. However, even this is being delayed citing bureaucracy," it added. The students have demanded a meeting with JNU Vice-Chancellor Santishree D Pandit.