OU Women Students Protest Over Poor Hostel Facilities

Hyderabad, Telangana -A swell of dissatisfaction among women students in Osmania University (OU) has culminated this week with over 200 residents of the hostels launching a peaceful demonstration on the grounds to have better facilities and more safety in the hostel. Carras led the demonstration outside the administrative block of the university, which highlighted the old concerns many female students have raised claiming they have been overlooked over the years.

The demonstration by the students was preceded by a series of frustration over various issues being very critical within the women's hostels such as poor lighting, unclean washrooms, lack of security and old facilities. Students claimed that they have not been able to move safely because some buildings of the hostel were not properly lit, especially during the late evenings. Some of them also complained about broken fittings in washrooms, unavailability of enough water in the peak times, lack of access to basic facilities.

One second-year undergraduate, who preferred to remain anonymous, said that he had come to study and not to struggle to satisfy the most fundamental needs. We are always scared about our safety in the times when we have no light, and security guards are few. We desire a secure, safe and honourable place to reside.

Some videos posted on social media by some students showing dark corridors and running tap faucets in the washrooms stoked up the protest and received backing of people and mass social media talk about it. The alumni and civil society groups have also come to support the dissatisfaction and urge the university administration to take immediate action into the grievances.

The Osmania University, which is among the oldest universities in India, has long been appealing to the students of the country. The recent demonstration however, reflects on wider issues of the living conditions and welfare of students in higher learning institutions.

The university authorities in their turn accepted the protests and said that they will do something about the issues. According to one of the senior officials of the OU administration, the repair work is already in progress and that further security measures are under consideration. The official responded that the concerns mentioned by the students are getting addressed and this time facilities would be improved and be safe, but also stated that the repairs would be carried out at a high rate.

Although the administration already gives promises, lots of students express the desire to have a definite timeframe and open action plan. One of the student leaders said that they liked that they listened, but wanted results, rather than promises. It has also made calls to have regular meetings with student representatives to make sure that the problems are solved by all.

The OU women hostel demonstration highlights a bigger debate in the matter of student rights and campus security in the Indian universities. Students and activists are of the opinion that education success and health depend on good facilities and safe living conditions. As the discussion goes on, the next move OU makes can rather be emulated by other institutions experiencing similar problems on campus.