Staff crunch hits Adi Dravidar hostels in Nagapattinam

Nagapattinam's Adi Dravidar hostels face warden shortages, lack of watchmen, leading to student dropouts and facility closures.

Nagapattinam’s government hostels under Adi Dravidar Welfare (ADW) Department are struggling with unfilled warden posts and absence of watchmen in boys’ hostels for more than four years, leading to student dropouts and closure of some facilities.

Out of the district’s 11 hostels, two were shut down this year due to insufficient student intake. Of the remaining nine, four are girls’ hostels and five are boys’ hostels. None of the boys’ hostels have watchmen, and only four wardens are managing all nine hostels, with five posts lying vacant.

Sources from the Adi Dravidar Welfare Department revealed that a single warden is responsible for managing three hostels in Thirukkuvalai, Nagapattinam, and Thirumarugal, which are located in different parts of the district. This setup makes it nearly impossible to provide individual attention to the students’ educational and personal welfare. The lack of supervision during the night has led to students wandering out, increasing the risk of bad influences and eventual dropouts.

A Class X student from an Adi Dravidar hostel in Nagapattinam expressed concern over the lack of guidance, stating, “Boys leave the hostel at night, some pick up bad habits, and dropout. With the warden visiting only once a week, we lack proper supervision, which worries me as I rely on the hostel for food and a place to study.”

A warden, speaking anonymously, described the challenges of managing multiple hostels. “I spend every week traveling between hostels, which is exhausting and affects the students’ welfare. Despite repeated requests for appointing watchmen, there are inadequate funds even for these positions,” the warden said.

Wardens in ADW hostels are required to be TET-qualified teachers and take on multiple roles, including maintaining discipline, conducting surprise checks, addressing student issues, and taking evening tuitions. However, the lack of sufficient wardens has hampered these responsibilities, which are critical for students, most of whom come from socially and economically underprevileged sections seeking better opportunities.

Subash Chandra Bose, district secretary of the Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front, underscored the importance of guiding students in the vulnerable 6-12 age group. “Without proper supervision, students risk falling into harmful influences. Successive governments have failed to strengthen the infrastructure of Adi Dravidar hostels. We demand the appointment of qualified wardens and watchmen in all hostels to ensure students’ safety and growth,” he said.