Students Flag Hostel Neglect, Faculty Shortages At OU

Hyderabad: Dilapidated hostels, inadequate scholarships and delays in faculty recruitment dominated discussions during a public hearing held by the Telangana Education Commission (TEC) at Osmania University (OU) on Friday. The session saw students, staff and unions outline systemic gaps affecting higher education.

Speakers said hostel infrastructure, especially for women and research scholars, had been neglected for years, forcing students to manage in unsafe and unhygienic conditions. “We cannot focus on academics when basic living conditions are ignored,” a research scholar, Mahesh Nelluri, said. Others pointed to rising food and living costs, arguing that current scholarship amounts were far from sufficient to cover expenses.

The historic Arts College building also came under focus, with warnings that delays in restoration could lead to irreversible damage. Employee unions demanded better wages for contract staff, while part-time faculty sought higher pay in line with inflation.

Chief hostel warden Dr G. Srinivas Rao suggested extending fine rice subsidies, currently available to Gurukula institutions, to OU hostels. Women’s hostel director Dr Y. Kalyana Lakshmi made an emotional plea for empathy towards faculty balancing teaching and administrative duties.

The Osmania University hearing is the final leg of TEC’s state-wide consultations. Recommendations from these sessions are expected to guide the government’s education policy overhaul.

TEC members listened to each appeal, connecting them to broader reform needs. Prof P. L. Vishweswar Rao stressed the importance of transparency and dialogue, while Dr Charakonda Venkatesh underlined the urgency of regular faculty recruitment and stronger hostel management. K. Jyotsna Shiva Reddy said Telangana’s development hinges on a committed and inclusive education system.

TEC chairman Akunuri Murali assured that all inputs will be compiled into a report for the state government. “Our task is to bridge gaps and build an education system that works for every section of society,” he said.