Hostel accommodationAuthorities prefer lecturers over students by Archit Watts
Chandigarh, October 23Despite the shortage of hostel accommodation for students in Panjab University, the authorities concerned, seem to be least bothered. The two floors (IInd and IIIrd floor) of first block of the Boys’ Hostel No-6 (Teja Singh Hall) have been allotted to the academic staff college and public health department.
One can imagine the callousness of the university authorities, which could not find a suitable accommodation for the academic staff and has been using these hostel rooms from past over 15 years.
Not only this, lecturers who come here from across the country to attend their classes and seminars, mostly girls stay here in the boys’ hostel. It seems that the authorities are more concerned towards these lecturers than their own students, who never stay here for more than two months.
Talking to The Tribune, harassed students of the public health department said, “Last year, this course was introduced here in the University. It is a self-finance department and from the beginning the authorities are assuring, they will shift us to the other building, but still they have not shifted us anywhere.”
One girl student (on an anonymity) said, “Being a girl it’s not easy to come to the boys’ hostel. Even vice-chancellor R.C. Sobti, has not solved our problems.”
Jayanti Dutta, deputy director of ASC and coordinator of the public health department said, “Though I am working here in ASC from the past ten years, but I personally feel bad to work inside the boys’ hostel.”
Another senior professor admitted that the authorities are least bothered about this problem.

Chandigarh Tribune October 24, 2008