Hansraj College Students Question Campus Cowshed as Hostels Remain Shut

Students at Hansraj College in Delhi University have criticised the college administration for maintaining a cowshed on campus while student hostels remain unavailable due to demolition and ongoing reconstruction. The criticism comes amid widespread protests across Delhi University over an acute shortage of on-campus accommodation.

The cowshed, which currently houses two cows, is wedged between a boundary wall and the open area where the college's old hostel previously stood. The facility has drawn controversy dating back four years, when students first protested its construction and alleged that the land had originally been allocated for a girls' hostel. The old hostel was later demolished to make way for two new buildings.

According to the college prospectus for 2026-27, the boys' and girls' hostels together have a capacity of 200 students. However, no hostel accommodation is currently accessible to students because the facilities are undergoing repair and reconstruction.

Due to the lack of on-campus rooms, students have been forced to seek private accommodation in paying guest (PG) facilities, where rentals cost at least ₹10,000 per month. Several students remarked that maintaining a cowshed while students lack basic living quarters reflects poorly on the administration's institutional priorities.

Anushka, a 19-year-old student from Haryana, said the cost of private housing has become an unsustainable burden. She stated that students are spending more money on PG rent than on their academic courses, while living in cramped quarters with at least three beds per room, and suggested the college provide funds to help cover accommodation costs.

Aditya Singh Gaur, an 18-year-old student residing in a PG, noted that the shortage has been a recurring issue year after year. He said that the students' union routinely promises to ensure that hostel facilities are restored, but the situation remains unchanged.

Principal Rama Sharma defended the college administration, maintaining that the site should not be labelled a gaushala. She stated that keeping cows on campus is not the same as operating a gaushala, and asserted that the occupied space is entirely separate from the hostel land.

Sharma stated that the two replacement hostels under construction will eventually house 560 to 600 students. She added that the project carries a cost of ₹80 crore, and that work is progressing and will pick up pace once necessary funds are arranged.