Published Nov 12, 2022 | 6:07 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 12, 2022 | 8:09 PM
Nizam college students protests for UG girls hostel facilities on 12 November in Hyderabad. (Supplied)
The students of the 135-year-old Nizam College continued their protest on Saturday, 12 November, demanding 100 percent hostel allotment to undergraduate (UG) girl students.
The students rejected the government’s compromise formula, splitting hostel allotments equally between postgraduate (PG) and UG girl students.
“Our agitation will continue till the government provides 100 percent hostel to us (UG girl students). We will not compromise till our demand is completely met,” a third-year UG student told South First.
On Friday, 11 November, the Commissioner of Collegiate Education (CCE) directed to split the 200-student capacity of the hostel equally between undergraduate and postgraduate girl students.
Telangana Education Minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy on Friday announced the decision on social media, saying it was made with a “humanitarian perspective.”
గత కొద్దిరోజులుగా ఆందోళన చేస్తున్న నిజాం కళాశాల డిగ్రీ విద్యార్థుల సమస్యను మానవతా దృక్పథంతో ప్రభుత్వం పరష్కరించింది.@KTRTRS , @TelanganaCMO. pic.twitter.com/3ttFT7Nmof
— Sabitha Reddy (@BrsSabithaIndra) November 11, 2022
Established in 1887, Nizam College’s illustrious alumni include KTR, Asaduddin Owaisi, former chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian to travel in space.
The Principal of Nizam College and Osmania University authorities had decided to accommodate only PG students in the hostel.
The new hostel at Nizam College (Ajay Tomar/South First).
Following the agitation on the campus, the CCE met the UG students and directed the authorities to divide the hostel capacity equally between UG and PG students.
Speaking to South First, Mohammed Irfan, a third-year student associated with the Progressive Democratic Students Union (PDSU), said, “The PG girls already have a hostel facility on the main campus. They did not even want a new hostel and had also written a letter to the principal requesting him to allow them to continue in the previous hostel so they could avail of the library and free-coaching facilities”.
He took offence to the government saying the decision was made on humanitarian grounds. “It is their duty and responsibility to ensure hostel facilities for students. Many UG girls cannot afford the high rents charged by private parties outside the college.”
Minister Indra Reddy had on 8 November assured her cabinet colleague and TRS working president KT Rama Rao that she would resolve the matter at the earliest.
“I will personally look into the matter…. Will resolve it ASAP,” she responded to KTR in a tweet.
While requesting the minister to “intervene and address the issue”, KTR said: “As per the request of the students, the girls’ hostel was built and handed over to the college. This situation seems unwarranted.”
Later, in a video posted on social media, four UG girls alleged that Navin Mittal, Telangana’s Commissioner of Technical and Collegiate Education had threatened to register a police case against them if they continued the agitation.
#Hyderabad: UG girls students of #NizamCollege, part of the group demanding hostel, alleged they were threatened with police cases by a senior officer of @TSEduDept.
As per girls, he said, "U do what u want & we will do what we have to do."@TheSouthfirst pic.twitter.com/0KnYEbokzl
— Ajay Tomar (@ajaytomarasks) November 11, 2022
The alleged incident took place when the four girls meet him on 10 November to discuss the hostel issue.
Ten students had initially gone to meet Mittal, and they were told of the government’s decision to equally split the hostel facility. The official tried to convince them to accept the 50 percent allotment, the girls said.
The student’s representatives did not make any commitment but informed him that they have to discuss it with other protestors. An hour later four girls returned to Mittal.
“We informed him that we wanted the entire facility. He was annoyed and asked us to leave. He further said that criminal cases would be charged against five student leaders”, Balsukuri Aishwarya, one among the four, told South First.
“You do what you want and we will do what we have to do,” the third-year student further quoted Mittal as saying.
The college principal, B Bhima, and Mittal did not respond to South First‘s calls or text messages.
Congress leaders Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Madhu Yashki Goud and Cheruku Sudhakar visited the college on Saturday evening in solidarity with the agitators.
Congress leaders Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Madhu Yashki Goud and Cheruku Sudhakar visited the students on Saturday, 12 November (Supplied).
They said the newly constructed hostel should be allotted exclusively for the UG students.
“The students of Nizam College are protesting peacefully on the college premises for the past 13 days demanding that hostel facility for UG students. Nizam College was initially an institute that offered UG courses, and PG courses were introduced later”, Vikramarka said.
“This is a minor issue, but I don’t know why the government is dragging it on”, he further said.
The Congress leader added that he would write to the education minister and chief minister to find a solution soon.
