Osmania University students avoid eating in canteens
HCU and EFLU where canteens do not just serve a wide array of food but also have chicken on their menu.
Hyderabad: Canteens, which are a sought after hangout spot for university students and serve as a destination for those who want a break from the routine mess food are avoided by most students in Osmania University.
This is in spite of the fact that OU is home to more than 16,000 students in hostels apart from the many day scholars and university staff who come to the university daily. The reason is simple — the two canteens in OU campus serve food of pathetic quality and offer no variety.
Non-vegetarian food is also missing in the two canteens in Osmania University as compared to its central government funded counterparts with much less number of students than OU, HCU and EFLU where canteens do not just serve a wide array of food but also have chicken on their menu.
Lack of canteens on campus is one of the reasons why many students are forced to eat at unhygienic roadside pushcarts near NCC gate of the university. The university has provision for five canteens apart from the two run near administration building and near engineering college. However, the other three at Arts College, Science College and MBA department have been non-operational for long.
E. Arunank, a PhD student from Law College says, “The food at OU canteens is mundane, tasteless and is made from poor quality ingredients. At least the canteen near administration building should be operated properly because the examination department located opposite it is visited by many students and parents every day.” He further said, “People with right wing political leanings in administration are stopping canteens from having non-vegetarian food in a university where students have been fighting over food-democracy.”
“Tenders for canteens are awarded flouting norms to substandard caterers out of pressure from some faculty members and student organisations. Moreover, to take views of students, there is need for student representatives but there are no elections in OU. No one in admin ever bothers about canteens,” an official said.
