Lagatar24 Network
Ranchi, March 2: Ranchi University’s PG hostels tell a story of all those that have lived there, be it PG students or JPSC aspirants. The present condition of these hostels also tells a viewer all the sacrifices that a student readily makes in these regions just for a better chance.
Broken walls, roots showing from ceilings, cows moving in and out of the hostel, now almost non-existent corridor and balcony walls are worth facing for a JPSC aspirant if they want an affordable stay in a comparatively bigger city like Ranchi.
Arjun, a JPSC aspirant says, “We try to save enough money for our coaching for the exam. Several poor students here readily eat ‘dal-chawal-chokha’ regularly to save money.”
Several of these aspirants live here without allotment; however, none were ready to talk over fear of being removed from the hostel by the university. On the other hand, some also requested that pictures not be published, over fear that the RU would take action and start demolition of the building.
These students fear that they will have nowhere to go once RU is done with the hostels here.
Vikas, another JPSC aspirant who has been living in the hostel for the past five years said, “RU has disowned several of these hostels and we here now plan to demolish them.”
“If that happens, where will the students go?” Vikas questioned.
While talking of why these students chose to stay in a hostel that could either be demolished or can break off on its own any time, the students say, it is cheaper.
Ranchi University hostel in-charge Ashok Kumar Singh said, ‘The PG building is completely dilapidated and the university will soon issue an order to demolish it within two months. The PG building is occupied by the old students. Meanwhile, the university does not get any kind of revenue from the hostels of the PG buildings, however, Ranchi University has set an annual fee of Rs 3 thousand for staying in the university hostels. But this fee has not been received by Ranchi University since the past 10 years.’
Rajkumar Sharma, DSW, Ranchi University said, “We have plans of building a library in place of the PG hostels. Tenders will be floated soon regarding this. Along with this, hostels will also be constructed for university students soon.”
“As far as we know, more than 500 students live in the PG hostel buildings. If the hostel is demolished, the students will have to rent rooms and houses if they want to stay in Ranchi and continue their education,” DSW Sharma added.
