Plea in HC seeks nod to allow students use of hostels, PGs to appear for exams

The Delhi high court has asked the ministry of home affairs (MHA) to consider the representation of a parents’ body, which had sought directions to allow final-year

The Delhi high court has asked the ministry of home affairs (MHA) to consider the representation of a parents’ body, which had sought directions to allow final-year students of various universities to stay at hostels or paying guest accommodations, for the duration of exams. These facilities have remained shut in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Justice Jayant Nath said the authorities may treat the writ petition as a representation and deal with the same as per law, while disposing of a petition filed by Juvvadi Sagar Rao, founder of Telangana Parents Foundation.

The plea also sought directions to the home ministry, department of higher education and the department of health and family welfare to take measures for conducting final-year exams and entrance exams for without causing trouble to students.

The petition, filed through advocates Sravan Kumar and R Balaji, said due to the Covid-19 restrictions, government, private hostels and paying guest accommodations are closed except a few government-university run hostels.

“This has been causing immense difficulty to final-year students of various universities who belong to rural areas and who stay in private hostels or PG accommodations,” the plea said.

It said Rao has made a representation to the Centre seeking a relaxation in restrictions to allow final-year students to stay in hostels and PG accommodations during their exams and it was transferred to the department of higher education for appropriate action.

It sought that in these circumstances, government and private hostels and PG accommodations may be allowed to accommodate final-year students so that they can appear for the exams by taking all precautions against the pandemic.