PU girls’ hostels to remain open 24X7

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 15

After 48 days of protest by students, the Panjab University (PU) Senate today opened the girls’ hostels 24X7.

Panjab University Campus Students’ Council (PUCSC) president Kanupriya had led the protest for lifting the timing restrictions on the entry of girls’ hostel inmates. During the protest, she, along with her associates, slept in the open outside the gate of the girls’ hostels number 3 and 4, for 47 nights.

“It was my dream,” she reacted, after the Senate agreed to her demand. She was watching the Senate proceedings from the visitors’ gallery.

All kinds of fine for late entry in girls’ hostels have been abolished.

Earlier, a student was allowed 10 late entries. For the 11th time, if a woman student entered after 11 pm, she had to pay a fine of Rs 100. Also, Rs 50 were charged in case a woman student failed to mark her attendance at 9 pm even if she forgot or remained sleeping or kept studying.

Most of the Senators condemned the system of fine and questioned whether it was generating revenue. They asked how the Rs 100 fine would ensure the safety of a woman student.

The Senate today resolved that there will be no restriction till 11 pm but after that, a woman student has to make an entry in a register. She may have to specify where she has been going. Kanupriya had been demanding for keeping one register only, instead of multiple registers at present like for night walk, exiting hostel premises and inter-hostel movement, to which the Senate agreed. Registrar Prof Karamjit Singh clarified that the register would remain available throughout the night.

It is pertinent to mention here that Kanupriya was the only PUCSC office-bearer fighting for the demand of 24X7 opening of girls’ hostel.

The Senate formed a committee to chalk out modalities for implementing the 24X7 open girls’ hostels move. They will also decide on whether parents have to be informed via SMS or any other method when their ward goes out.

Prof Navdeep Goyal, chairperson of Physics Department, will head the committee, which will also comprise Dean Students Welfare (DSW) Prof Emanuel Nahar, DSW (Women) Prof Neena Caplash, SP Jain, Prof JK Goswami, Prof Pam Rajput, Assistant Professor Ameer Sultana, Chief Security Officer Prof Ashwani Koul and four office-bearers of the PUCSC — president Kanupriya, vice-president Daler Singh, secretary Amarinder Singh and joint secretary Vipul Atray.

The committee can call anyone as a special invitee. 

There were heated arguments over whether to have executive committee members too in the committee as Vice Chancellor Prof Raj Kumar was pushing for it. But most Senators objected to it and finally, the VC agreed to including only the office-bearers, who are directly elected by students. 

In the evening, Kanupriya led a victory march which was attended by members of the All-India Students’ Association (AISA), the Punjab Students Union (Lalkaar) and her own party Students for Society (SFS).