Pondicherry University students protest over unavailability of hostels; admin assures accommodation

NEW DELHI: Following the protests by Pondicherry University students over non-allocation of hostels to various students which lead to accommodation issues for several undergraduate and postgraduate students, the university administration has assured accommodation for maximum number of students. On December 6, the students along with the Student Federation of India (SFI) marched towards PU administration block demanding allocation of hostels to as many students as they can.

The SFI alleged that only one-third of the students admitted to integrated and PG courses have been allotted hostel rooms this year due to non-completion of renovation work. As a result, several students were troubled while some had to leave the university for being unable to afford outside food and accommodation.

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SFI PU Marching towards Admin Block! ✊?? pic.twitter.com/B703HDdNf9

— SFI - Pondicherry University (@SFI_PondiUni) December 6, 2022

“There has been a severe decrease in the hostel facility available to students in Pondicherry University this year. Until last year, hostel accommodation was assured to all the outstation students admitted to Integrated PG and PG courses in the campus. However, this year, the administration had decided that only about one-third of the students admitted to these courses will be given accommodation in the hostels, citing the delay in completion of renovation work that has been going on in the university for a long time as the reason,” an SFI statement read.

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The students’ group argued that even after frequent representations from students to expand the hostel facilities and to complete the renovation works of the existing hostels as well as the construction work of the new hostels, the administration didn’t address the issue.

As SFI-Pondicherry University conducted a march to the admin block to get the university's attention to students’ issues, the university vice-chancellor and the registrar agreed to meet the representatives. In the meeting, PU agreed to the demands and assured the sufficient allocation of hostels and dormitories to maximum students, to complete the renovation works in hostels at the earliest and to allocate these hostels to students.