The Kashmir University (KU) students on Wednesday complained that the varsity administration was depriving students of hostel facilities despite charging fee from the students for hostel accommodation and mess fee.
The students said they were charged the fee for hostel accommodation and mess but are not allowed to avail the facilities despite starting offline classes for the students.
A student of the law department of the University said the KU issued a notification regarding reopening of hostels wherein it was decided to accommodate only last semester students.
“I am a mid semester student and a boarder of Kashmir University hostel but I am not allowed to use the hostel facilities despite paying the fee for it,” the student said.
He said the KU administration charged the money for hostel accommodation and mess fee from the students only to deprive them from using the facility.
“If I am not eligible to avail hostel accommodation given the present circumstances then university should not have charged the hostel fee from students like me,” the student said.
While the mid semester students are deprived of the hostel accommodation, various teaching departments including the Law department have started offline classes for students of all semesters.
“I am not eligible to enter my hostel room but most of the departments of KU have started physical classes. Under these conditions, where will the students go,” the student asked.
The students said they have paid their hostel fee in 2019 and 2020 which was also not refunded by the varsity.
“Now our offline classes have resumed but the hostel authority doesn’t allow us to use the hostel accommodation. We are from middle class families and can’t afford extra expenses,” the student said.
Registrar KU, Dr. Nisar Ahmad Mir when contacted said the decision to open hostel facilities for all students was put on hold given the surge in COVID-19 cases.
“But the students should not worry about it. We will definitely refund the money to all those students who did not use the hostel facility of the University,” he said.