With colleges shut, rural students returning to Pune stuck between a rock and a hard place

PUNE The Pune district collector’s announcement on the closure of schools, colleges and private coaching classes till February 28, has caught students from the rural parts of the state, who had started returning to Pune to join offline classes, between a rock and a hard place

PUNE The Pune district collector’s announcement on the closure of schools, colleges and private coaching classes till February 28, has caught students from the rural parts of the state, who had started returning to Pune to join offline classes, between a rock and a hard place.

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Most of the rural students come from financially weaker backgrounds and do not have enough funds to stay in rented flats or hostels, with colleges closed.

“I returned from my village two months back and started attending online lectures. Currently, I am staying with my friends in a hostel on a room sharing, cot basis. We were so happy and excited about colleges opening up, as the hostels would also start. Once we get admission in hostel, the major issue of accommodation will be resolved,” said Kuldeep Ambekar, a law student.

“We are paying ₹3,000 rent per student for a cot-basis hostel facility. It is unaffordable to pay such high hostel fees. Majority of the students coming from the rural parts are from farmer families. If this college closure duration is increased then we don’t have any choice but to return back to our villages,” he added.

Shailesh Pangare is a-first year commerce student from Latur. He said: “Last week I returned to Pune after almost a year. When I heard the news that colleges are starting from February 15, I was happy to come back to the college campus. My parents somehow managed to give me ₹5,000 for hostel and food. Now again college is closed. The government should think about the thousands of students who come to cities like Pune from across the state. For them, hostels should be immediately opened with all the measures taken.”

After almost a year, state technical and higher education minister, Uday Samant, declared universities and colleges open from February 15. Accordingly, some colleges started classes, but there was not much response in the first week. Due to the increasing number of Covid cases in the city, the Pune district collector issued orders to close schools and colleges till February 28. A further decision will be taken after a review on Friday.