Tarun Karthick
Port Blair, 12 October 2023
In a fervent display of their plight, several girl students hailing from the remote islands of Andaman and Nicobar have taken to the streets in a resolute protest, effectively blocking the Marina Park Road outside the Jawaharlal Nehru Rajkeeya Mahavidyalaya (JNRM) gate. The reason behind their demonstration is a dire need for hostel accommodation. More than 200 girl students pursuing various courses at JNRM have gone without hostel allotments for the past two years.
The consequences of this extended wait for accommodation have been harsh on these students, who have been grappling with financial constraints. Their parents have had to shoulder the hefty burden of providing accommodation, meals, and other expenses, all due to the unavailability of hostel facilities.
During an interaction with Nicobar Times at the protest site, one student leading the demonstration disclosed a disturbing trend. She reported that nearly three of her fellow students had been compelled to discontinue their higher education because their parents simply couldn’t afford the expenses related to accommodation and meals. Furthermore, the student stressed that many more of her peers are on the brink of abandoning their education due to the prolonged hostel shortage.
In Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a significant portion of families falls within the lower and middle-income brackets. For these households, sustaining themselves is a daily challenge, let alone managing the added financial strain of renting houses in Port Blair for their children’s education, which includes covering rent, electricity bills, and other living expenses.
The demand for swift hostel allotment has been voiced by numerous political leaders in the Islands. However, the college authorities have yet to disclose a definitive timeline for addressing the issue.
As a result of this protest, one section of the Marina Park Road in front of JNRM has ground to a halt, with traffic snarled by the impassioned demonstration. The determined students have pledged to maintain the blockade until their demand for hostel accommodation is met.