Students scramble for rooms as DU prepares to open after 2 years

Many say they would be unable to afford rents as owners look to make a quick buck

With Delhi University scheduled to reopen from February 17, thousands of students are making their way back to the Capital from various parts of the county to attend regular classes. Some students The Hindu reached out to, complained of inflated rents being quoted by brokers and owners, while some others, who have their exams due in March, felt an added pressure.

On the North Campus and the residential areas surrounding it, the decision to reopen the university after two years seems to have brought the buzz back. Most of the paying guest accommodations have been lying empty since the university shut in March 2020 at the start of the pandemic. Owners are now looking to cash in on the flurry of students trying to secure accommodation.

Only 20 of the colleges in DU provide hostel accommodation for their students, apart from the university-run accommodation in the 68 colleges of the university. For outstation students, many of whom will be attending physical classes for the first time, it is a race against time. The DU administration has advised students to undergo a three-day quarantine before reporting to their colleges/departments.