Staff refuses to work in Bangalore University hostels fearing illegal boarders

Unhappy over certain vested interests of students, staff and faculty of Bangalore University (BU) refuse to work in hostels.

According to sources in the university, most of the employees deputed to work in the hostels either resigned or requested for transfers within a month. “There are many illegal boarders in BU’s hostels meant for students doing post-graduation,” an official in the university, who did not want to be named, said.

“Some of them have already completed more than two post-graduate courses, but are still staying at the hostels and enjoying benefits like food and scholarship,” the official said.

Students even threatened some members of the staff who had dared to evict those staying illegally, said the official. “One day, four students came to my office and threatened to kill me if I continued to bring reforms in the hostels,” said Raghunandan M, a faculty member of the department of library science, BU.

Raghunandan, who is the current warden of the hostels, had initiated several steps to identify students staying illegally at the hostels for years. His action has triggered a protest from students, who began a demonstration in front of the hostel on Jnana Bharathi campus last week demanding his removal from the office.

“All students should vacate the hostels after completing their post-graduation. I was shocked when I saw many illegal boarders are also bringing about 20 to 30 guests to their rooms every day. When I started to collect data about illegal boarders, they turned against me,” said Raghunandan.

About 450 students stay in the hostels, which have a capacity to accommodate only 250. Many students who had enrolled for PhD programmes have not shifted to PhD hostels and as a result the varsity cannot accommodate freshers.

Another faculty member who had worked in the hostels told DNA that some students engaged in anti-social activities inside the hostels. “Many students have complained about liquor use inside the hostels,” the official, who did not want to be named, said.

“Because of a few students the entire environment is polluted.”
University officials said strict measures would be initiated to remove illegal boarders.

Authorities were planning to introduce a coupon system to stop wastage of food and to lock the hostels’ gates after 8 pm to avoid outsiders entering the hostel premises, they said.