UoM's hostel manual to check illegal occupants

To maintain discipline and check illegal occupancy at hostels run by the University of Mysore (UoM), the Student Welfare Directorate has brought out a ‘hostel manual’ approved by the varsity Syndicate.

As per the new manual, the authorities will initiate strict action against those who violate the hostel norms. The manual mainly focuses on curbing unauthorised stay in varsity hostels.

As many as 20 hostels come under the purview of the Directorate which includes 10 PG hostels, 9 under graduates and one working hostel for women. While 16 hostels are located in Mysuru, four hostels are in Mandya, Hassan and Chamarajanagar districts.

Student Welfare Director K B Praveena said a few students, including research scholars of the varsity, have been misusing the hostel facility and staying without getting admission. Due to unauthorised occupants, genuine students are facing hardships. Hence, the authorities have decided to check illegal occupancy and will be conducting regular rounds in the hostels.

Earlier, several unauthorised occupants were identified and 90% of them have been evicted. The manual is necessary to monitor and maintain discipline at hostels in future, Praveena said.

It may be mentioned that the Director has filed a police complaint against a research scholar for his illegal stay in the hostel. The Director said that as per the varsity rule, PhD students should get admission paying the prescribed fee to avail hostel facility. Scholars must pay 16% of the HRA from the fellowship, he said. Research scholars obtain fellowships from UoM, University Grants Commission (UGC), Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship for SC/ST candidate, and others. The varsity could not act against illegal occupants earlier as there were no sources to prove their stay. But now, we have taken tough measures against misusing hostel facility so that the students, who are really in need of the facilities, are not deprived of the same, he added.