‘govt Must Bring Hostels Under Regulation For Students’ Safety’ | Jaipur News
The coaching industry in Kota and Jaipur is incomplete without hostels. If regulations are required for coaching institutes, hostels too need norms for the interest of students. Majority of the hostels function from private residences with zero accountability related to safety, security, infrastructure, rent, etc, resulting into harassment of students. Consecutive governments have failed to address the issue despite acknowledging it. The state should act and enforce rules on hostels along with institutes.
Even proposed Rajasthan Coaching Institutes (Control and Regulation) Bill 2023 doesn’t have any mention of regulating hostels which is the second most important component of building a multi-million coaching industry in Kota.
Leader of Opposition Gulab Chand Kataria expressed the urgency to regulate the hostels like the coaching institutes for the welfare of the students.
“Yes, it is important to have strict regulation on hostels addressing the safety, security, livable infrastructure, fees etc. Both local administration and the state government have to protect the rights of the students and monitor the hostels every quarter,” said Kataria.
The incident, however, is a first of a kind but the majority of the hostels in Kota are running in residential colonies with zero accountability.
Dev Swaroop, additional secretary of the University Grants Commission (UGC) and former VC to Rajasthan University and Baba Bhimrao Ambedkar Law University who was part of many bills related to higher education called for the injunction of provisions for the hostels also. “The existing bill doesn’t have any provision for hostels as the committee which drafted was given the mandate to prepare a regulation on coaching institutes. Ideally, the committee of experts should exert rules relating to hostels, food/caterers and transport for students enrolled with coaching institutes,” said Swaroop.
Pitching for a robust social security cover for these students, he said, “The government should cover these students under some of its schemes like Mukhyamantri Chiranjeevi Swasthya Yojana and insurance schemes to build a connection with these students who are adding revenue into the kitty of state government.”
