Between borders: JU to bridge 1st yr hostels for unrestricted movement

Kolkata: Jadavpur University (JU) has decided to establish a connection between two first-year student hostels, enabling borders to move freely between them.

This decision comes in the wake of protests by a group of first-year hostel residents demanding unrestricted entry and exit to the hostels, free access between the hostels, and permission to use the rooftops at all hours.

The resolution was made during a students’ welfare board meeting that took place over two days, on Monday and Tuesday. The meeting was convened in response to the agitating students, who had previously locked the vice-chancellor’s office and allegedly damaged the gates and CCTV cameras of the two hostels.

JU officials have confirmed that while the demand to keep the hostel gates open beyond 10 pm cannot be met due to University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations, a partial concession has been made regarding rooftop access. The rooftop closing time has been extended from 6 pm to 10 pm.

In August 2023, a first-year student from Nadia died due to ragging at JU’s Main hostel. Subsequently, first-year students were relocated to the Old PG and New Block hostels on the campus.

The two hostels will now be bridged to facilitate free movement for the students residing there.

Meanwhile, the university has decided to impose a ban on student fests on campus during school board examinations. According to the meeting’s resolution, no fests will be allowed on campus until April 5. Additionally, a committee has been formed to determine appropriate sound limits for student fests at other times of the year and to assess whether the use of sound systems will be allowed after 10 pm.