PU relaxes hostel timings for girls

Rajinder Nagarkoti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 5

After almost all parties ran a campaign for relaxing rules for late entry of girl students at Panjab University (PU) hostels, the authorities have relaxed the last entry till 11 pm. Earlier it was till 10:30 pm.

“We have relaxed the entry of girl students till 11 pm. Earlier, it was till 10:30 pm. In case of any emergency, it is relaxed till midnight. Research scholars will not be fined anymore if they have taken a prior permission.

But entry in registers have to be made,” said Dean Students Welfare (DSW) Prof Emanual Nahar.

The Students Organisation of India (SOI) was sitting on a hunger strike for the past five days outside girls’ hostel on the Sector 14 campus of the university for relaxation in timings.

“It is a historic and path-breaking step in gender equality, women empowerment and larger issue of the rights of women of the country. It is a result of a five-day continuous indefinite hunger strike by Iqbalpreet Singh Prince of the SOI,” said Vicky Middukhera, president of the Students Organisation of India unit of Chandigarh.

‘Pinjra Tod’ is a movement which started in Delhi where women started demanding for ending restrictions on hostel timings for them.

Panjab University Campus Students’ Council (PUCSC) secretary Vani Sood had been campaigning for ‘Pinjra Tod’ since March 21 at the PU. Sood had been visiting classes in various departments and meeting inmates of the hostels to address any problem faced by them.

Vani said it was one of the topmost priorities of her party, National Students Union of India, during the elections and an integral part of its manifesto.

“I would like to thank students of the university for joining us in this movement and ensuring that the voice of each student is heard by the authority. I also thank the leadership of the National Students Union of India for their consistent support over the issue and making sure that sexism that exists in the system is done away with,” she said.

It was Students for Society (SFS) which had first raised the issue of Pinjra Tod at the Panjab University.

‘Pinjra Tod’

‘Pinjra Tod’ is a movement which started in Delhi where women started demanding an end to restrictions on hostel timings for them. PUCSC Secretary Vani Sood had been campaigning for ‘Pinjra Tod’ since March 21 at the PU.

Demands accepted

• The PU has accepted to extending the entry timings to 11 pm
• The maximum fine will be of Rs 100 and that too as a deterrent, not as a means to generate income. “Earlier, it was Rs 250 if you enter after 10:30 pm,” said PUCSC secretary Vani Sood.
• PhD and MPhil students will have no restriction if they have taken prior permission.