Students residing in Osmania University (OU) hostels are up in arms against the administration, citing a host of issues — from severe drinking water shortage and insufficient washrooms to leaky ceilings and unhygienic conditions.

Frustrated by the long-pending problems, students submitted representation letters to the university authorities, demanding immediate restoration, as per a report by The New Indian Express.

They pointed out that nearly 27 hostels on campus suffer from similar issues. Hostels E1, E2 and D are particularly affected, with bathrooms and toilets in deplorable condition, forcing students to bathe outside.

Additionally, the ageing hostel buildings, many of which have not been renovated for decades, pose a safety hazard. In March, a portion of the ceiling inside a hostel room and washroom collapsed, injuring a fourth-year student.

Only the damaged area was repaired, leaving the rest in a dilapidated state.

Another major concern is the illegal occupation of rooms by non-boarders, which is causing serious inconvenience to legitimate residents.

“There has been a severe water crisis in the hostels for several months. The washrooms are rarely cleaned, and the ceilings have deep cracks that could collapse any time. We’ve submitted complaints, letters and appeals, but nothing has been done,” said Uday, a second-year degree student.

“Many times, the administration was urged to renovate the hostels and construct additional rooms. Due to the lack of space, instead of four, six students are being crammed into a single room,” said another boarder, stated the report by The New Indian Express.