IIT-D may turn to space aggregators for hostel rooms
The Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT-D) may consider leaning on space aggregators to meet the shortage of hostel space on its campus.
The institute is facing a shortfall of around 400 hostel rooms. It had earlier set up a committee to find a solution to the problem. The committee deliberated dealing with entities such as Oyo, which could tie up with property owners and then market rooms on rent are referred to as space aggregators.
When contacted, an Oyo official said “while there are no developments that we can confirm at this point, we look forward to the opportunity to engage with relevant stakeholders”.
According to a senior official, the institution is considering the possibility of getting rooms in areas close to its campus through the space aggregator.“We are considering utilising the service for nearly 400 hostel seats. However, a clear picture of the plan may occur in a couple of days. Others may also be considered. It is a new situation so all aspects have to be seen,” a senior official said.
The institution is faced with an unprecedented rise in the number of students on its rolls for a variety of reasons such as a supernumerary quota for girls, focus on getting foreign pupils and the EWS quota.
The institution has been facing a space crunch for the past few years and hostel rooms meant for a single student are, in many cases, being shared by two students while rooms for two are often allotted to three residents.
According to officials, with the number of students increasing due to the introduction of supernumerary quota for girls which was announced earlier and now the 10% quota for economically weaker sections.
Most students need hostel, but the space is not sufficient,” the official said.
The number of students in undergraduate courses was around 850 last year which is likely to go up to 1,050 students after the EWS quota is implemented. Similarly, the number of post graduate and PhD students would go up from 3,000 by 700-800, according to officials.
