‘We have been granted funds by Jammu and Kashmir government along with union Home Ministry for the hostel,’ said Talat Ahmad, Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia University. Agreeing to the accommodation problems faced by students, he said ‘We have applied to various government agencies including Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) regarding hostel issue. We have also written to National Commission for Scheduled Tribes for hostel for outstation women students. A 400-bed women’s hostel is also in pipeline.’
Besides non-availability of seats in the hostels, students often complain that seats in the hostels are not allotted as per rules. According to rules, a hostel is allocated to a student on the basis of his/her performance in qualifying exam marks, income of parents and residence. ‘Students from Ghaziabad and other such near cities are given hostels. But students from far off states like Jammu and Kashmir or Jharkhand are not given accommodation by the university,’ complained Faheem Mirza, a post-graduate student at the university.
Another student of the varsity said ‘We face discrimination when it comes to hostel accommodation.’ But the university authorities have ruled out any bias while allocating hostel. ‘We have received complaints regarding that but we have not found any such issues,’ said a senior official. The university currently has seven boys’ hostel which can accommodate 1,200 students and four girls’ hostel with capacity of 875 students.
Besides non-availability of seats in the hostels, students often complain that seats in the hostels are not allotted as per rules. According to rules, a hostel is allocated to a student on the basis of his/her performance in qualifying exam marks, income of parents and residence. ‘Students from Ghaziabad and other such near cities are given hostels. But students from far off states like Jammu and Kashmir or Jharkhand are not given accommodation by the university,’ complained Faheem Mirza, a post-graduate student at the university.
Another student of the varsity said ‘We face discrimination when it comes to hostel accommodation.’ But the university authorities have ruled out any bias while allocating hostel. ‘We have received complaints regarding that but we have not found any such issues,’ said a senior official. The university currently has seven boys’ hostel which can accommodate 1,200 students and four girls’ hostel with capacity of 875 students.