Indore: Nearly 1,500 students, who were admitted to various teaching departments, have applied for boarding facility even as Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya (DAVV) continue to wait for hostel guidelines to come from Department of Higher Education (DHE).
Last month, the University Grants Commission (DHE) had issued guidelines for reopening of educational institutions. The guidelines carried the norms for hostel occupancy also.
The UGC guidelines state that there should be single occupancy room in hostels. If the DAVV implemented the norms then in the intake capacity of DAVV would be halved. Currently, the intake capacity of 14 boys and girls hostels combined is 2000 which would come to around 800.
Lately, Vice Chancellor Dr Renu Jain held a meeting with chief warden Prof GL Prajapati and other over the issue and resolved that they should be waiting for DHE guidelines over reopening of the institutions and hostel.
Prajapati stated that they were of a view that each room in the hostel should be of twin occupancy. “However, we will wait for DHE guidelines over the matter. The university would go by the DHE guidelines,” he added.
Many students may opt for pvt hostels
If single occupancy condition is imposed then the accommodation figure at boarding facilities of universities and colleges will be halved.
That would lead more number of outstation students to go to stay in private hostels where implementing Covid-19 norms will be a challenge.
“In case of private hostels, the district administration will have to step in and ensure that UGC guidelines for Covid-19 are implemented,” said student leader Abhijeet Pandey.
The district administration will have to fix rates of private hostel rooms also so that the students won’t have to shell out much due to single occupancy room condition, he added.
