In run up to National Youth Festival, Karnatak University students asked to vacate hostels to accommodate guests

Students and faculty members at Karnatak University, Dharwad (KUD) are up in arms against the varsity who has asked them to vacate hostels for nine days to accommodate guests who are arriving for the National Youth Festival scheduled to be held in January 2023, as stated in a report by The New Indian Express.

The five-day festival will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 12 on the Karnatak College Grounds in Dharwad. Thousands of students from all over the country are expected to take part.

Those opposing the varsity's decision pointed out that school hostels could have been used for accommodation besides booking lodges and putting up tents for the participants. "The government is planning to spend Rs 20 crore for the event and it's strange that they cannot make arrangements for the stay of the participants. It's not fair to ask us to vacate when completion of our syllabus is already running behind schedule," said a senior student from the university.

The authorities at KUD, however, maintain that the National Youth Festival is a mega event and everyone should cooperate for its success. "There is no forceful evacuation of students from the hostels. We have made arrangements for them to keep their luggage till the event gets over. Holidays have been declared for the students," B Gudasi, Vice-Chancellor of KUD told The New Indian Express.

A faculty member from KUD said that the administration could have gone for the Guest-at-Home initiative which is taken up during major events in the state. "Despite getting good funding from the government, the organisers are unable to plan accommodation," he said.

"The varsity has not appointed any guest lecturers though the course is behind schedule and vacating the hostels and declaring holidays will further delay the completion of syllabus. We too are excited about the youth festival and prefer to stay in our hostel rooms rather than going back to our homes and miss the event," he added.