Patna: A number of male students admitted to different colleges and postgraduate departments of the Patna University (PU) in the current academic session (2024-25) are up in arms over inordinate delay in allotment of accommodation in boys’ hostels of the university. However, they pointed out that female students admitted in the university have already been allotted their rooms and seats in different girls’ hostels of the university.
In PU, there are altogether 26 hostels, including six for girls. While all the 998 seats available in girls’ hostels have been occupied by the students, but 1,409 seats available for boys are still lying vacant. Consequently, many students, who have come from outside the city and don’t have any other residential facility in the town, are finding it difficult to carry out their studies smoothly here.
Pankaj Kumar, a postgraduate student of the university, said, “We have been compelled to find some accommodation in private lodges located in busy, congested market areas and which are not all conducive for academic purposes,” he said.
When asked about the reason of denying hostel accommodation to the boys, PU proctor Rajneesh Kumar told the newspaper that male students admitted to different UG and PG courses in the current academic session have not been allowed to reside in the university hostels at the behest of governor-cum-chancellor, RajendraVishwanath Arlekar.
The chancellor had ordered for the closure of all the hostels of the university following the murder of a B N College student at Patna Law College examination centre.
When fresh admissions were made in the current session, PU sought the permission of the chancellor for allotment of accommodation to the students in the university hostels. “While girls were allowed to reside in the hostels, but no permission was granted for boys The university can’t make any move in this regard until the chancellor permits it do so,” said the proctor.
PU students’ welfare dean Anil Kumar pointed out that another reason of non-allotment of accommodation of seats in boys’ hostels is the ongoing repair and renovation of most of these hostels.