Utkal University Hostels Turn ‘Home’ For Outsiders

Utkal University Hostels Turn ‘Home’ For Outsiders

The Utkal University campus has literally turned into a haven for outsiders as at least hundred non-students are occupying rooms at various hostels in the oldest varsity of Odisha. And, they are in no mood to leave the university campus soon.

The newly-constructed 300-beded boys’ hostel number-7, aimed at accommodating foreign students, faculty and delegates, has become the new ‘home’ for these outsiders.

According to a varsity official, who spoke to us on condition of anonymity, revealed that around 40 non-students have been occupying rooms in the new hostel, giving an open challenge to varsity officials and police personnel.The new hostel, according to university officials, has some construction issues and water problems, which will be resolved soon. An ultimatum has been given to non-students to quit the hostel.

The university, at present, has six boys’ hostels with an intake capacity of around 1,300 students and five girls’ hostels to accommodate as many as 1,500 students.

It is seen that most of the outsiders are staying in Madhusudan Chhatrabasa (second boys’ hostel), Fakir Mohan Chhatrabasa (third boys’ hostel) and Godabarish Chhatrabasa (fourth boys’ hostel) of the varsity for the last few years.

Outsiders or non-students first enter into the hostel rooms with the help of students and then make their way into other hostels in the subsequent year on their own.The menace seems to have no end in near future too as the varsity students are minting money by subletting their rooms to outsiders. Some students share their rooms with outsiders taking money from them for a year.

According to some students requesting anonymity, hostel rooms were sold for Rs 35,000 to Rs 40,000 this year and hostel staffers are aware about it.

The hostel authorities, however, claimed the practice has drastically come down over the years. “We have allotted all rooms to the students this year. If a student sublets his room to his friend or an outsider, then it is difficult for us to keep a track of it,” said Gopabandhu Chhattrabash Superintendent Manoranjan Senapati. “The number of outsiders residing in the first hostel (Gopabandhu Chhattrabash) has gone down following frequent checkings,” he added.

“Some former students of the university who are now employed in private and government organisations with good salary are still staying in the hostels,” said Sanjay Kumar Mallick, a law student of the varsity.Campus politics is another reason why outsiders or non-borders are making hostels their homes. Some students even after completion of their courses have stayed back only to get involved in students’ union elections to flaunt their ‘leadership’ skills and ‘influential power’.

“Some former students’ union leaders, who are now jobless, have made Utkal university hostels their permanent homes. Using their connection, they sell some hostel rooms to outsiders to earn money year after year, and the hostel authorities couldn’t do anything,” claimed Jyoti Prakash Dash, an ex-student of the varsity.

A retired UtkalUniversity professor on condition of anonymity said that since there is no frequent checking inside hostels and near main gates, the university campus has so many outsiders. “Besides, free facilities such as water, electricity, TV and reading rooms are the biggest draw for outsiders not to leave the campus,” the professor, who retired last year, added.

The university authorities have admitted that their actions are not enough to remove outsiders from the campus. “Yes, we have reports that some non-students are still occupying several rooms in various hostels despite crackdown on them. We have already issued a stringent warning in this regard and will take action against them soon,” said Utkal University Vice-Chancellor Soumendra Mohan Patnaik. The process will begin from hostel number-7, he added.