International hostel room to PUCSC president Sohal sparks row

CHANDIGARH: The allotment of a room in Panjab University's International Hostel to PUCSC president Gaurav Veer Sohal, a facility reserved for international and NRI students, has raised questions over transparency and adherence to procedure, particularly in the absence of any publicly notified vacancy or application process.

Earlier in March, there was a controversy after the daughter of a prominent politician was allotted a room at the same hostel.

Sources said Sohal has been allotted a ground-floor room in the hostel on a sharing basis. The International Hostel, among the more sought-after accommodations on campus due to its infrastructure, is designated mainly for foreign and NRI students, with any deviation typically treated as an exception. The university administration, however, maintained that such allotments can be made on a temporary basis. When contacted, DSW Prof YK Rawal said, "International students and NRI students are allotted the International Hostel on a permanent basis. For others, it is allotted on a temporary basis for three months."

The clarification has not fully addressed concerns being raised within campus circles. Students and faculty members pointed out that if rooms are available for temporary allotment, vacancies should be disclosed publicly and applications invited to ensure equal opportunity. "No notice, no call for applications, and yet a key student leader gets a room in a premium hostel, it raises obvious questions," said a faculty member, requesting anonymity.

A senior university official said there was speculation that Sohal may have sought accommodation citing security concerns. "He might have indicated that he fears for his safety and requested a room in the International Hostel," the official said. However, the official added that no such grounds were formally mentioned in the application records available with the administration. The lack of documented justification has led to concerns about discretionary allotment. University sources said that while temporary allotments are not unprecedented, they are rare.

The International Hostel has over 50 rooms and primarily caters to foreign and NRI students. Any allotment outside this category is generally viewed as an exception. Attempts to contact Sohal for his response did not elicit any reply.
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