Are inmates treated in a dignified manner in overcrowded government hostels for SC/ST students, questions Karnataka High Court

High Court of Karnataka questions overcrowding and treatment of SC/ST students in Government hostels in Bengaluru.

Noticing that a large of government hostels for post-metric students belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (SC) are overcrowded as the number of inmates is twice or thrice the sanctioned capacity, the High Court of Karnataka on Tuesday, August 20, asked the authorities to explain whether the inmates of these hostels are treated in a dignified manner.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice N.V. Anjaria and Justice K.V Aravind issued the directions while hearing a PIL petition, which was suo motu initiated by the Court based on a newspaper report about the shortage of staff in government-run hostels for SC/ST students.

The Bench, from the data of hostels submitted by the government, noted that in many hostels, the number of inmates accommodated for the academic year 2023-24 is much more than the sanctioned capacity of each hostel and this issue requires immediate remedial measures.

Also, the Bench noticed that 548 posts of senior warden are vacant in these hostels as against sanctioned strength of 1,890 as only 1,342 posts are filled up. As many as 53 posts of junior warden are also vacant as against sanctioned strength of 518, the Bench noted from the report.

On number of students accommodated in the hostels, the Bench said that the report reveals startling aspect as number of students accommodated is up to three time the capacity of the hostels.

For example, in Srirsi of Uttar Kannada district, 151 students are accommodated as against its sanctioned strentght of the 50, the Bench said while pointing out that 214 students have been accommodated in a hostel having capacity for 75 inmates and 259 students in another hostel having capacity for 100 inmates in Koppal district.

Meanwhile, the Bench directed the government to inform about the steps proposed to fill up the vacant posts of wardens, how the authorities are managing the overcrowded hostels, and whether the inmates are treated for their stay in a dignified manner.