The Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) witnessed a protest by outstation students on Thursday demanding a hostel for male students. The protest erupted after the only on-campus boys’ hostel was converted into a hostel for girls. Students were given “women’s safety and their growing number on campus” as the reason behind this move. 

The protesting students, however, alleged that these claims were false as the number of girls had dropped from 129 to 115 during the 2017-2018 academic year. Shyam Singh, a diploma student told Newslaundry, “The former boys’ hostel, which can house 47 students, is now occupied by only 21 girls and a majority of them are from Delhi itself. This was done while completely neglecting the need of male students in the institute who come from distant places. The female students joined the protest. They held placards reading #NotInMyName and #WeAreNotRapists.

Students also raised other demands including a 24-hour reading room, extension of library timings until midnight (currently, the library is open until 8:30 pm) and internet connectivity in a reading room. Late last year, the students had submitted a memorandum to the Director-General via the Dean of Students Welfare (DSW) with 56 signatures. The demand was same — hostel facilities. However, the authorities took no action. Subsequent letters and requests yielded no response as well, students have alleged.

The protesting students also alleged that they have been threatened with rustication from classes. They also claimed that they were made to sign undertakings that restrict students from raising their voice against the university authorities on social media. “Boys’ hostel used to work like a pressure group for the administration as we raised our voices regarding the issues on campus. Hence, the authorities decided to do away with it,” said Singh.

Meanwhile, the students alleged manhandling by the security guards and shared videos on social media.

When Newslaundry reached out to DG KG Suresh, he assured that all reasonable demands would be fulfiled. “Earlier, there was a demand to extend library timing and we accepted it. But, we can’t employ our staff for 24 hours. A committee of senior-most professors from the institute has been constituted to look into the issue and all reasonable demands will be fulfilled,” Suresh told Newslaundry. “If all that students want is media limelight, I cannot help with that,” he added. Although Newslaundry reached out to university DSW D Surbhi Dahiya and Professor Hemant Joshi, they declined to comment on the issue.

“If the demands are not met by Tuesday, we will intensify the protest,” students told this correspondent.