Delhi University's Hindu College, which had announced it will not take students in its newly constructed girls' hostel from this year following protests over fee and a set of rules, has now decided to reconsider it.
"There were protests by a section of students against the fee and the rules. I discussed the issue with the Governing Body (GB) and we decided to not make any enrollments from this year and meanwhile resolve the concerns of students. However, this resulted in protest by another set of students," college principal Anju Srivastava said.
"We have decided to reconsider the matter and have formed a committee which will include student representatives and members of teaching and non-teaching staff. If there is a consensus on a new plan, including fees and hostel rules in time for the new session, the college may make enrollments from this academic session itself," she added.
Hindu College has been providing on-campus hostel facilities to male students for decades. However, the girls' hostel, which has been constructed, was supposed to be functional from the 2016-17 session.
The prospectus for admissions to the hostel triggered an outrage among the girl students who alleged that the rules laid down were "discriminatory" and amounted to "moral policing".
The prescribed fee also irked the girl students as the male students of Hindu College pay Rs 47,000 as hostel charges while the girls were asked to pay more than Rs 82,000.
Taking suo motu cognisance, the National Commission for Women (NCW) had issued a notice to the college last week seeking an explanation about the hostel rules for girls which have been termed as moral policing by students.
The rules listed in the hostel prospectus have asked students to dress as per "normal norms of the society", made it clear that no visitors will be allowed without prior permission "including girl students", the residents will be allowed only one night-out in a month and there was a provision for random checks by the warden at any time.
Some of the other rules included mandatory presence of all residents in the hostel by 8.30 PM and a bar on roaming inside the hostel after 11 PM. The prospectus also said a dress code may be notified for residents, if deemed necessary.
Students have been protesting against the alleged discrimination between girls and boys while deciding the rules and the fee for the hostel.
Following protests, the college authorities had announced there will be no admissions to the girls' hostel. Students who had taken the prospectus were asked to return those and get their fee refunded.
