COIMBATORE: Following requests from students, the Directorate of Collegiate Education (DCE) is planning to construct a new hostel for undergraduate female students of Government Arts College located on Race Course road.
As part of this, top officials from the Directorate of Collegiate Education inspected the Government Arts College hostel last week to assess the feasibility of constructing a new hostel.
An officer from the Government Arts College, who did not wish to be named told TNIE that when Higher Education Minister Govi Chezhiaan visited Coimbatore last month, the hostel students submitted a petition to him urging him to construct a new hostel and the Minister instructed the officials to take appropriate action regarding this.
She added, “At present, 424 students (355-male, 69-female) reside in the college hostel on Race Course Road. As many as 590 students (358-male, 232-female) are staying at nine government welfare hostels located at Ondipudur, Ramanathapuram, Perur, etc.
Besides, as many as 232 male students and 258 girl students are staying in private hostels. Every year more than 300 undergraduate and postgraduate students who belong to other districts apply for admissions and seek for college hostel facility. However, only 120 students can avail of that facility due to a shortage of rooms in the girl’s hostel. Hence, we do not offer hostel facilities to first-year undergraduate female students.”
“Due to the lack of hostel facilities, some students from other districts have left their education half the way especially those from economically weaker sections as they cannot afford to stay in private hostels. Considering this, officers have planned to construct a new hostel for undergraduate female students. The initial work has begun,” she further said.
C Ramya (name changed), a student, welcoming this move told TNIE, “The boy’s hostel is on around 3.4 acres of land and the girl’s hostel is on around 1.5 acres of land. As there is vacant space, DCE can construct the new building. If there is a new hostel, girl students would benefit economically and they would feel safe.”