Heads of government colleges in Coimbatore are looking for better clarity on the provision made by Backward Classes, Most Backward Classes and Minorities Welfare Department to sanction boarding grant for college students staying in government-recognised private hostels, for accommodating female students who are struggling for accommodation.
As per official information, the department had, during 2022-23, sanctioned boarding grant to students of Backward Classes, Most Backward Classes and Denotified Communities staying in 39 Government recognised private hostels. After the parental annual income for admission in these hostels was enhanced from ₹1 lakh to ₹2 lakh from the year 2021-22, boarding grant of ₹1,000 per month per student for 10 months in a year is sanctioned to the boarders of these hostels. During 2022-23, a sum of ₹70.59 lakh was spent for the benefit of 733 students. A provision of ₹87.79 lakh has been made for 2023-24.
Against the backdrop of several hundreds of female students from rural areas in districts in the surroundings of Coimbatore district have secured admission to the government colleges in and around the city, owing to the Pudumai Penn scheme, there is a huge demand for hostels run by the government departments, says T. Veeramani, Principal of Government Women’s College, Coimbatore.
The boarding grant of ₹1,000 per month per student for 10 months in a year is sanctioned to the boarders of these hostels.
There have been instances of students getting transfer certificates and getting back to their native districts due to difficulties in securing admission in government-supported hostels, Prof. Veeramani said.
The demand for accommodation of female students in government colleges witnessed a rise after the 30:70 female:male ratio for admission in government colleges was lifted. To meet the increasing demand from among the college girls students for accommodation in the Backward Classes, Most Backward Classes and Denotified Communities hostels, they were permitted to stay in the nearest hostels meant for school girls in the event of there being vacancies.
Yet, the number of female students in government colleges looking for accommodation far outnumber the capacity in the hostels run by government departments. Many end up paying through the nose in private hostels, a senior professor of the Government Arts College, Coimbatore, says.