Following the protests by the pupils of the Lady Shri Ram College against the hostel ‚Äúcurfew timings‚Äù, in other words, the hostel restrictions and straining out of other things, the college put up a notice claiming it would take into notice some of the demands, corralling 24×7 access to hostel by students, thereby mentioning the ‚Äúhike in fees‚Äù as a consequence.
The administration has set up a constituent body to look into demands of the students. An unsubscribed notice dated November 6, 2018 reads: “The committee is actively considering ways in which students can access the hostel 24*7, taking into account infrastructural and staff charges which will result in increased fees and notification to all stakeholders that will be worked out”.
The announcement, as confirmed by sources, was put up by the administration saying it was thinking of replacing the need to specify two local guardians along with one emergency contact, absconding with the gating out system (where students are in a way suspended from hostel for 15 days as a form of reproachment) increasing accessibility for PWD students, and bringing forth OBC reservation, among the other things.
Sources also specified that the final decision will be taken by the Governing Body, adding, however, that its stakeholders are “unlikely to meet before January”.
The decision to raise fee has come under the red light from students and activists of Pinjratod. “The LSR administration said that for abolition of curfew, they will have to hire more guards and put in place ‘logistics’ like revolving doors, biometric attendance, swipe cards. To increase the number of hostel seats for implementation of OBC reservation, the administration has proposed conversion of single-seater rooms to double seaters — the cost of all of which will be raised from student fee. As was indicated during a meeting, apparently for abolition of curfew, we must pay 15k extra annually, and 6k extra for implementation of OBC reservation. What the administration is telling us is that if we want freedom, we will have to ‘pay’ for it,” stated Pinjratod.
“The administration’s proposal of appointing more security guards…stands in violation of the principles of UGC’s Saksham Committee Report on Measures for Ensuring the Safety of Women and Programmes for Gender Sensitization on Campuses,” the statement further said.
