National Commission for Women (NCW) chief Lalita Kumaramangalam visited Delhi University’s Hindu College on Wednesday in connection with a row over alleged “discriminatory” rules and high fee for its girls’ hostel.
The Commission has decided to raise the matter with the University Grants Commission (UGC).
“The NCW Chief visited the college on Wednesday and interacted with the protesting students as well as the principal. She will raise the issue of the exorbitant fee with the UGC later this week,” an NCW spokesperson said.
The NCW had some days back taken suo motu cognisance of news reports published in connection with the “discriminatory rules” in the hostel and issued a notice to the college. The Commission had sought an explanation about the hostel rules for girls, termed as “moral policing” by the students. A three-member NCW team had visited the college last and extended the deadline to respond to the notice till May 15.
Hindu College has been providing on campus hostel facilities to male students for decades. The girls’ hostel, which has been recently constructed, was supposed to be functional from the 2016-2017 academic session. The prospectus for admission to the hostel triggered an outrage among female students, who alleged that the rules laid down were “discriminatory” and amounted to “moral policing”.
The prescribed fee also irked them, as the male students at Hindu College pay Rs.47,000 as hostel charges while the girls were asked to pay over Rs.82,000.
