Delhi University allots hostels on the basis of CUET scores; some students turned away

As admissions for the current academic year (2022-23) were conducted through the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) at Delhi University, the same scores are also being used to allot hostel accommodation to students in the university. Students claim this method of allotment has left some stranded due to limited accommodation.

Students from the university informed EdexLive that until now, students would be admitted to the hostels based on their Class XII marks. However, now it is based on the ranks obtained in the CUET. To recall, the CUET was touted as India's second biggest exam and was held for admission in undergraduate courses from September 1 to September 7 and then from September 9 to 12 at 570 examination centres located in 269 cities across India and four cities outside India. The exams were marked with technical glitches and last-minute centre changes, inconveniencing thousands of students and parents.

Less number of hostels

Anjali, Secretary of All India Students Association (AISA), DU stated that the university has not been taking initiatives for building new hostels or repairing old ones. "There are already very few hostels in the university. Kamala Nehru College, for instance, doesn't have a girls' hostel. This makes it difficult for families to send girls outside of their hometowns to Delhi. We have already observed a decrease in women's participation in the university following the introduction of CUET," Anjali added.

A report by DU Beat (@du_beat on Instagram) claimed that some students, despite having a good CUET score, were not allotted hostel accommodation. "The student unions have brought up the fact that more than 50 per cent of DU campuses lack hostels, as a problem. As a result, some students with high CUET scores were turned away from hostels," their report said. However, Ashish Lamba, Secretary of Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) said that they haven't received any grievances from students regarding this yet.

Delhi University has witnessed demands and protests regarding hostel accommodation earlier as well. Activists of the Students Federation of India (SFI) held a protest in March 2022 demanding more hostels for students of all colleges that come under the institution.

According to one of the SFI members, “Outstation students, particularly those who belong to economically and socially weaker classes, have been adversely affected by the lack of adequate and affordable hostels. They are at the bearing brunt of the high prices of alternate accommodation facilities and are often harassed by brokers and landlords who demand an exorbitant amount of rent. The lack of affordable options often curtails them from pursuing their higher education at a premier government educational institute like Delhi University, thus depriving them of their fundamental right of education,” said one of the SFI members, as per a report by The New Indian Express.