The administration of the University of Delhi's Lady Shri Ram College for Women has said that it is reviewing the college's hostel policy, that mandated the second-year students to vacate their rooms. This was informed by the college's principal Dr Suman Sharma in an email sent to the Students' Union after a second-year student Aishwarya Reddy died by suicide last week.
"The one-year hostel policy was introduced to provide for OBC and EWS students. Hostel policy is being reviewed to help second-year students on need-basis, subject to availability of hostel rooms," reads the email. However, she added, "The situation is rendered very difficult due to (the) COVID-19 pandemic since rooms cannot be shared." She also said that the clause that asks the students to not agitate over the hostel policy will be removed. The students' resident body had previously alleged that the college administration's notice that asked the second-year students to vacate their rooms in person had added unnecessary financial woes to a poor student like Aishwarya, who, according to her suicide note, took her life owing to increasing financial constraints.
In the mail, Sharma also said that the college is actively considering helping needy students with gadgets and data packs to facilitate online education. The college is also said to be working on improving its communication system and is employing online counselors for its students. She added that they are looking for ways for a swifter disbursement of scholarships.
Commenting on the principal's statement, the LSRSU said, "It's seen that while some demands by the LSR student community have been addressed, quite a few remain ambiguous, while the remaining demands have not been addressed at all. The student community shall continue their protest till the time all their demands are agreed and catered to."
