Committee recommends slew of measures to improve hostel life

Hyderabad: Outsourcing of messes in a phased manner, strict collection of hostel fee and mess dues, biometric system to avail mess facilities, eviction of students after course completion and expulsion of students harbouring non- boarders are a few steps among several others, the Osmania University will start implementing in the Hostels and Messes, based on the recommendations made by a Committee which was constituted to examine the problems in hostels and messes in Osmania University

The Committee visited various institutes running Hostels and Messes and suggested measures on governance, infrastructure, and improving amenities to students. Accepting the report and the suggestions, the University is determined to initiate multiple measures.

The measures to be implemented shortly are as follows:

Outsourcing of messes, to begin with, can commence with the Engineering college hostel to be extended to other hostels later. All students have to vacate (Irrespective of 1st or 2nd year, etc.) invariably on the day of closure of that academic year for summer vacation to facilitate renovation and repair work. Non-boarders will be evicted and stringent will be initiated against them and their supporters would be expelled, as the committee hopes this would improve the quality of food, drinking water facility, sanitation and hostel maintenance

The University will direct all the Principals and Directors to insist on students to clear their Hostel/ Mess dues and only then they should be allowed (irrespective of category) to the next semester . Online system to be introduced to collection mess deposits, dues, tuition fee etc. No dues certificate to be issued only after clearing all types of dues through online system only.

Mess to be served twice- once in the morning between 8.00 am to 10.00 am and 6.00 pm to 8.00 pm in the evening (or) limited breakfast with tea, limited curry & curd in lunch and dinner and Non-Veg will be provided (limited) on Sunday only. Boiled eggs would be served thrice a week.

In order to cut down on costs and reduce the mess bill burden on the students, as suggested, the University plans to procure provisions for all the Messes from the Civil Supplies Department, Government of Telangana at subsidised prices which would reduce the mess bills. Self-Service System in the dining hall, Bio-Metric System & Bar-Code Identity Cards for mess purpose, revamping messes for different colleges/ researchers and outsourcing of the street lighting system on the Campus are on the agenda of the University.

The Committee found that some student organisations have their hold on some rooms and thereby block the entry of genuine students. Such rooms would be vacated and allotted on par with other students. Construction of ramps for the physically challenged students, renovation of sewage system, repair of old hostels like A, B, C and D Hostels, Ladies Hostel (Damodar blocks), demolition of E1 & E2 hostels, in a dilapidated and in irreparable conditions, construction of new hostels, modernisation of kitchens in all hostels - construction of kitchen platforms- gas connectivity, installation of roti making machines, reverse osmosis waster system, and use of water tankers and hydraulic system for water supply are the other measures to be taken up.