Accomodation Problems faced by DU students

"Bookings for PG accommodations begin in March, and by July every reasonable place is booked. The freshers are then fooled into the most expensive places" comments Aditi who is currently lodging in a rented flat at Hudson Lanes in North Campus. Shrishti Khattri, who has just passed out of English Honours from Hansraj, advises out-station candidates applying to Delhi University to get a taste of hostels, college-owned or private, before going in for PGAs or rented flats. She feels the practice harbours a sense of responsibility which is vital for survival if one has to live completely on their own. Unfortunately all aren't as lucky as Shrishti to have the choice of hostels over PGs, even more so the choice to shift out of a hostel when they manage to get one. Students putting up at Karol Bagh and Ber Sarai, for instance, don't share the affluence of Kamla Nagar, Indra Vihar, Haqeeqat Nagar, Anand Lok, GK-1, etc. Students living in the lower-rung PGs generally see convenience in their proximity to the Administrative Services' coaching institutes present here. Those appearing for the second or third time generally have to take up part time jobs to support their education. Otherwise, as Manik puts it, "Students' parents don't exactly compromise on rent. Finding accommodation is a mad goose chase, you can't afford to be picky-choosy. Grab whatever you get! It's the people who are working, and not the students, who strive to save their money by compromising on cleanliness and hygiene".

There is no denying that the current situation truly reflects the effects of Privatisation. Contrary to popular opinion, the current trend supports PGAs over hostels. Parents continue to vouch for hostels but their children aren't too happy with the early curfews (7:00 pm hostels, 11:00 pm in PGAs). Students who have enjoyed hostel facility in their first year of college turn it down in their second year and move to PGAs. For that matter, students (which indirectly implies that their parents too) are willing to bear the extra cost of living in rented flats rather than messing around with land-lords. Vatsala, who is working in a call centre, to earn extra pocket money, returns by 3:00-4:00 am, minus the hassles. She's paying a rent of Rs. 6,000 per month for one room. Bringing in a friend for an over-night stay isn't an issue either. She has to cook her own food though. But then it isn't as if food is a convenience in PGAs. Some land-lords don't allow paying-guests to keep gas stoves, others offer stale food. Land-lords aren't too keen on keeping initially made promises after a few months. Prices of PGAs are double that of hostels. While hostel fee is Rs. 2, 500, PGAs/rented flats cost anywhere between Rs. 5,000-9,000 depending on the facilities provided. Internet, AC, food, round the clock availability of running/drinking water, laundry, safety of neighbourhood, proximity from college, number of room-mates are factors that affect the cost of the room.

"Kamala Nehru College is going to come up with a hostel very soon" informs Ms. Rina Mandal, Vice Principal who simultaneously feels for the local candidates who are in abundance there. Colleges with hostel facility are popular among out-station candidates which gives locals a better chance in those colleges which don't. Hindu too will have a girl's hostel in the near future while the main South Campus is striving for the facility commonly for all the colleges there.

Ironically, there's a gender bias here too. This time the discrimination is against males. If you have noticed the flyers outside colleges offering PGAs, they start with 'Girls wanted for...'. Saif, a 2nd year student pursuing Eco Hons from Zakir Hussain, lists the reasons for this favouritism. "Girls follow curfews more religiously and are more punctual in paying rent. I guess that's because girls get more money. Guys with girlfriends have to spend on their maintenance while others invest in smoking or drinking which eats through their allowance". Other than that he says boys are a noisy, boisterous, partying lot which are a real pain to land-lords. "But", Saif adds, "guys have contacts and find their way through to an accommodation despite the preference for girls" who he thinks are better off in hostels.

Veterans advise that freshers should look for other freshers as room-mates since older tenants tend to impose their seniority on the new-comer. Better still try to work it out with your friends. Aditi shares her experience, "Aman, my ex-roomie stole my debit card and cashed out an amount of Rs. 12,500, since then I take extra care to lock up everything before I leave". Shrishti too thinks finding a place isn't as much a problem as is adjustment with people. In her own words, "Compromise is the mother of all accommodation problems!"