KATHMANDU, Aug 9: Last Friday, a violent altercation broke out between two students at a girls' hostel in Buddhanagar, Kathmandu, over the use of slippers in the classroom. The conflict escalated when one student threw the other off the roof. Ward Member Satish Tandukar, alerted by the incident, arrived with the police. The injured student was rushed to the hospital, while the other was arrested. It is common to see a line of girls returning from clubs late at night in Buddhanagar, near Everest Hotel, often causing disturbances.

Following complaints about hostel conditions, Ward Member Tandukar conducted an inspection and was alarmed by what he discovered. Tandukar reported that Buddhanagar alone has over 200 hostels. During the inspection, evidence of drug use, including marijuana and narcotics, was found. He also noted that students often return from clubs late into the night, and hostel wardens appear more interested in profit than in maintaining discipline.

"After receiving a complaint about the hostel, I conducted an inspection and found around 200 students residing in Buddhanagar. Evidence of drug use, including marijuana, narcotics, and alcohol, was discovered in the hostel rooms," said Tandukar. "But that's not all. Until midnight, there's a line of students returning from clubs in the alley in front of Everest Hotel. The hostel wardens are only interested in making money and do not enforce discipline," he added.

According to Tandukar, the hostels are overcrowded, with more students than their capacity. "The food is unhealthy, and the living conditions are unsafe. It’s even difficult for students to breathe. On a trivial pretext, two students had a fight, and in the heat of the moment, one threw the other off the roof," Tandukar, who also serves as the coordinator for the hostels in Ward No. 10, said. He further noted that hostels are promoting misconduct, and local residents have filed complaints with both the ward office and the police to shut them down.

Kathmandu Metropolitan City, known as an educational hub, attracts students from all 77 districts for studies, from +2 to university education and preparation for public service commission exam. Parents trust that their children will be safe in hostels. However, following complaints of unwanted activities in these hostels, the municipality held a discussion with stakeholders on Monday. During the discussion, ward members reported that hostels have been deteriorating.

Ward members informed the Hostel Management and Inspection Committee about issues observed in the hostels. They reported that the hostels are overcrowded, with residential buildings turned into commercial establishments. Also, there were no designated entry and exit times for students, and a lack of regulation leading to security risks.

Tandukar emphasized the need for monitoring and regulation of hostel activities. "Many are crammed together in rooms meant for four people. Residential buildings have been turned into commercial spaces, creating risks," he said during the discussion. "Even after midnight, there is constant movement in and out of the hostels. Who is coming and going, and why? The hostel operators seem indifferent to these issues. Hostels must operate within established standards to ensure the safety of our students."

Ward Member Anil Shrestha from Ward-29 highlighted that recent developments in the hostels have led to increase in misconduct and insecurity. "Malpractices in hostels has increased with the sale of hostels at inflated prices,” he said, adding, “Students are offered free admissions, and then the hostels are sold at high rates based on the number of students," Shrestha said, urging immediate municipal action.

In a meeting chaired by Deputy Mayor and Hostel Management and Inspection Committee Chairperson Sunita Dangol, participants emphasized the need for inspections and proper management due to misconduct in hostels across various wards. The inspection committee has requested hostel operators to run their facilities in a clean, safe, and socially respectful manner. Committee Chairperson Dangol urged operators to be more sensitive to complaints about unwanted activities in hostels, according to Govinda Sharma, chief of the Metropolitan City’s Education Department.

"Complaints related to hostels are sensitive. Deputy Mayor and Hostel Management and Inspection Committee Chairperson Sunita Dangol has instructed operators to adhere to standards," said Govinda Sharma, head of the Education Department. "It was revealed during the discussion that approximately 40,000 students are currently residing in hostels in Kathmandu. The issue of disorganized hostels was also raised."

The committee has instructed operators to collect and submit accurate data on the students residing in hostels to the municipality. The municipality is preparing to form a group to regulate food, living conditions, and activities in the hostels. "Monitoring the condition and management of hostels housing 40,000 students, as well as the facilities provided, is essential. It has become necessary to conduct inspections for the benefit of the students," Sharma said.

Ward members from Wards 9, 10, 11, 30, and 32 have raised complaints about increasing misconduct in hostels. There have also been complaints that some hostel operators have not paid taxes. "Students residing in hostels range from those studying in schools and universities to those preparing for public service exams. The safety of all these students is a major concern," said Sharma. "The municipality plans to map out the hostels and bring them into compliance with standards. We are preparing to encourage the good and penalize the bad."

During the discussion, officials from the Nepal Hostel Association and the Hostel Business Association of Nepal expressed concerns about a business crisis due to the need to pay property taxes, perform maintenance, and manage water supply themselves. They conveyed that these responsibilities are contributing to their professional difficulties.

Hostel Operating Standards

The government has issued the Hostel Operation Standards, 2080, to make hostels organized, respectful, safe, and transparent, and to maximize the interests of both students residing in and operators of hostels. This is based on Section 11(2) (j) and Section 102(2) of the Local Government Operation Act, 2074, and is implemented using the authority granted by the Kathmandu Administrative Procedure (Regulation) Act, 2075 BS.

 
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