Separate hostel for NE students: good or bad?

We ask students whether it’s a good move to build a community-specific hostel or does it glorify discrimination?

In a new development, the city’s Jawahar Lal Nehru University has announced the construction of a separate hostel for students coming from the North East region of India. This is done keeping in view the growing number of North East students who come to the Capital, every year for studies and work.

JNU Vice-Chancellor Sudhir Kumar Sopory has said that the hostel should be named Subansiri Hostel, after the river in Arunachal Pradesh. We asked students for their opinion on a separate hostel, and this is what they have to say.

Gitasri Borah
Third year, English Hons, Sri Aurobindo College
From Assam
I have myself witnessed people calling students from North East with weird names. I think it’s a good idea to build such a hostel. We face so much while looking for a house in Delhi. Moreover, you can make friends during classes, no need for them to be your room mates.

Haobijam Dianarose
second year, BMMMC, IP College for Women
From Manipur
A common hostel is a better idea as it will give us an opportunity to make more friends and go beyond our native friend circle. But at the same time, we can’t ignore the hardships that a student from North East has to face in order to look for an accommodation in Delhi.

Julia Nameirakpam
Second year, BMMMC, IP College for Women
From Manipur
It’s a good idea that a new hostel is being built, but why only for North East students; finding an accommodation is a problem that every outsider woman faces. However, more reservations must be given to the women from North East as they are prone to threats.