Chandigarh Sector 11 college students seek hostel rooms, cite busy schedule

As many as seven female students attending the Master of Physical Education (MPEd) course at Post Graduate Government College, Sector 11, have written to the Education Secretary, asking for hostel accommodation within the campus. The college authorities have put up these students at the Government Polytechnic College, Sector 10, but the students claimed that they have to attend the session thrice a day and that living outside the college campus makes things difficult for them.

On the other hand, the college authorities maintained that they had limited seats in the college hostels, with preference given to newly inducted students belonging to distant parts of the country.

“The accommodation provided to the students of MPEd is within the radius of less than 1 km. We treat every student on a par and allot campus hostel seats to students of Bachelors of Physical Education (BPEd) and others courses as well against the 180 allotted seats. Preference in allotting the hostels seats is given to newly inducted batch of each course, whose students have just stepped out of their hometowns. We still have no objection to allotting hostel seats to MPEd students, and will try to accommodate them if possible,” said Prof (Dr) Rama Arora, principal of the college.

With an additional demand for hostel accommodation, the college accommodates hostellers at Home Science College, Sector 10, Government Polytechnic College and at Government Industrial Training Institute for Women, Sector 11.

“The current location (hostel) is nearly 2 km away from the campus, and the distance, coupled with our demanding academic and practical schedule, is causing considerable inconvenience to us. After attending the morning practical activities, when we reach the hostel at 9 am, the breakfast timing gets over, and we have to return for theory classes at the college campus by 12 noon. As the theory classes continue till 4 pm, we generally are unable to reach the campus for lunch. We again have to change into our sports kits and attend evening classes between 4.30 to 5.30 pm, and then return to hostel by 6 pm,” claimed the students.

They alleged that, consequently, travelling between the hostel and the college campus was also causing them considerable fatigue. They further claimed to have written the same to the college authorities, but to no avail.

In addition, as many as 23 students of MPEd and BPEd have written another letter to the Secretary Sports, claiming that they have not been allowed to use changing-room facility at the swimming pool complex located inside the campus. The students alleged that considering their nature of the course (MPEd and BPEd), they need to change their attire during the day, but are not allowed to use the changing rooms at the swimming pool complex.

“We have made several requests to the principal of the college for permission to use the changing rooms. However, so far, no permission or necessary directions have been issued,” claimed the students in a letter to the Education Secretary, signed by both male and female students.

The college authorities, however, maintained that due to rush at the swimming pool, students of MPEd and BPEd have been provided with mandatory alternative changing rooms to avoid a clash of timings with the users, both male and female.