Despite the completion of construction work, nearly four student hostels at Kashmir University (KU) have not been put to use, raising security concerns among students, especially female students who have no option but to find rented accommodations off-campus. These unused hostels can house around 900 students. The availability of these hostels would significantly reduce the need for students to rely on rented accommodations, which often expose them to harassment by landlords and other problems. The hostel accommodation for deserving students, along with affordable in-house mess and canteen services, is crucial for ensuring that students can access quality education without facing excessive financial burdens. When students reside off-campus, they often encounter higher living expenses and the additional time constraints of preparing their meals. Weather-related challenges, such as snowfall in the region, can further complicate the situation. Given that KU sees a substantial number of admissions each year, it is indeed the responsibility of the university authorities to provide adequate hostel accommodation. With four ready hostels currently unused, there should be no excuses for the delay in their allocation.
If there is still a shortage of hostel accommodation, proactive planning should be undertaken to prevent such scenarios in the future. Repeatedly encountering these issues without finding solutions is detrimental to the university’s reputation. Students from remote areas work hard to secure admission at KU, and these obstacles pose significant setbacks to their aspirations for a quality education. In line with the trend among universities to transform into fully residential institutions, KU needs to formulate comprehensive plans in this direction. To address the current shortage of accommodation, interim measures should be explored, such as renting additional housing facilities.
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