The uncertainty in the opening of schools is causing around 80 percent vacancy in the Karnataka Backward Classes Welfare Department’s pre-matric hostels.
Bengaluru: Government pre-matric hostels for backward classes got only 30 applications for 165 seats in Urban Bengaluru. The hostellers had moved back to their villages during Covid of March, 2020. Even though the government has reopened the schools, students haven’t returned to the hostels yet.
Aasma, Hostel Warden, Sarvajanik Balaka Vidyarthi Nilaya, Vijayanagara said, “Schools in Bengaluru were opened late. So, the parents took T.C. from here and went back to their village. This year the hostel admission is less. The ones who took T.C. are not back.”
There are 22 pre-matric hostels in the Bengaluru district. In 2019, the occupancy of these hostels was around eighty percent. The Government of Karnataka made these hostels for students whose families’ monthly incomes are below 1 lakh rupees per annum. The hostellers are provided with free food, accommodation, uniforms, stationery and other essentials.
For the last academic year, which is 2020-21, the Karnataka government allotted around 80,000 lakh rupees for the hostels. However, most of the hostels are still waiting for students to come back. Hostel caretakers say that as the students are below the age of 16-years and unvaccinated their parents are worried about Covid infections.
Prasenjeet Kumar, national working general secretary of All India Students’ Association said, “According to our team in Karnataka, the application procedure of this year was also online. People couldn’t accept it. Government should step forward with an offline aid to regain the belief of these people.”
Hostel authorities are also trying to reassure parents and students. Madhusudhane, Assistant Director of social welfare, Bengaluru said, “We are giving awareness program. And moreover, we will go to the places where they stay and ask them to send their children.” On the other hand, the student association insists that mere campaigns cannot bring back the students to the hostels. Prasenjeet said, “Offline campaigns with some add-ons like financial aids can help the authorities to regain their trust and engage with the students.”
