The ongoing hostel shortage for SC/ST students in Hyderabad is pushing many from marginalized communities to abandon their higher education, according to R. Krishnaiah, President of the National BC Welfare Association.
In a letter addressed to Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Krishnaiah expressed grave concern over the acute lack of hostels for SC and ST students in the Greater Hyderabad region. He revealed that fewer than 25 government hostels are currently functioning for Scheduled Caste students across Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy, and Medchal districts, which is alarmingly inadequate given the high number of engineering, pharmacy, degree, and postgraduate colleges in the area.
Krishnaiah highlighted that Scheduled Tribe students are equally affected, with many being forced to drop out due to the lack of affordable accommodation. “Most SC/ST students cannot afford private hostels, where the rent is around ₹5,000 per month,” he said, adding that they often face discrimination in the housing market, making it difficult to find rented rooms even when they can afford it.
The situation is especially troubling for tribal students, who are only beginning to enter higher education in significant numbers. “They need encouragement and infrastructure, not barriers,” Krishnaiah emphasized.
Despite the existence of educational welfare schemes for SC/ST students announced by both the Central and State governments, Krishnaiah stressed that more ground-level support is urgently needed.
He urged the Telangana government to immediately sanction college hostels for ST students, proposing the construction of five new hostels in Hyderabad, four in Ranga Reddy, and four in Medchal, with facilities for both boys and girls.
The letter serves as a pressing call for action to prevent educational dropouts among tribal and Dalit students in urban Telangana, and to ensure that social equity in education is not compromised due to inadequate infrastructure.
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