Girls’ hostel remains under lock

A hostel for the girl students of Government Law College, Ernakulam, is still a dream especially when their number is going up. The girls have to depend on private hostels or paying guest facilities which are quite expensive and insecure. It is a shame that the more-than-50-year-old college does not have a girl’s hostel.


“It is difficult to find a moderate accommodation nearby and we have to make do with paying guest facilities and other hostels,” said many students.


About 100 students require hostel facility.


The hostel built on 2500 sqft with the funds of the late MP George Eden has not been opened till date for want necessary infrastructure or hands.


The seven rooms can accommodate about 21 students. The repeated requests of the principal to the government have fallen on deaf ears.  “I have been requesting the government. But we should accommodate at least 40 students for creating posts of matron, cook, watchman, etc. Only  21 students can be accommodated now. The government had plans for vertical expansion but the PWD engineer said the foundation is not strong enough for another floor,” said college Principal  Saroja A S.



The hostel has been under lock for years. There is no water or electricity connection.  Students have been demanding a hostel for long.  “Only 16 inmates can be accommodated in the hostel. Two people cannot stay in a room as the rooms are small,” said a fourth year LLB student.


The students have been staging protests demanding a decent accommodation. They have also submitted pleas before the authorities but in vain.


Saroja also said that proposals were sent to build a new one on the land near the boys’ hostel. The executive engineer and the District Collector visited the site but nothing was done further.


District Collector Sheik Pareeth said the issue would be addressed soon. “We have plans to expand the present building so that it can accommodate more number of students. The work of the infrastructure facilities will also be carried out soon,” he said.