4 months on, KU girls await hostel facility

Rifat Mohidin

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, May 27

The girl students of the science department at the University of Kashmir have claimed that they had been denied the hostel facility and were kept waiting for the allotment for four months.

A second semester student said they had applied for the hostel facility four months ago and to date, the list had not been approved by the university.

“We visit the university officials every day but to no avail. Most of the girls are facing difficulties staying in rented accommodations. We feel burdened as we have to do all work ourselves. We hardly get time to study,” said Shaista Jan, a student.

Another student said the problem was mostly faced by the students of the science department as their practicals continue till evening.

“When we reach our rented accommodation, we have to cook and do everything ourselves. We are hardly left with any time and energy to focus on our studies. Also, we are facing some safety issues there. The hostel facility will make things a lot easier for us,” the student said.

Some others said they still had a year left at the university but the officials were not paying any heed to their problems.

“We are currently in the second semester. We have a year to go. Rented accommodation costs us too much. However, the officials are not paying any heed to our genuine concerns,” the students said.

“Some of us are living in old Srinagar because the rooms near the university campus are expensive. It is also unsafe there as on Fridays, the situation sometimes turns violent,” the students added.

According to officials, there are 5,000 girl students studying in the university, of which 3,000 need the hostel facility.

The university has four girls’ hostels — Habba Khatoon Hostel, Qurat Ul Ain Hostel, Rabia Al Basri Hostel and Bibi Amina Hostel, which have a capacity of around 800-1,000 students.

Meanwhile, the university officials were not available for the comment.