Physically handicapped students worst affected

Incidentally,DU is trying hard to encourage physically handicapped candidates to apply for admission under its reserved category. The University reserves 1,600 under-graduate seats under this category

According to Dr Nisha Singh of DU Equal Opportunity Cell (EOC),lack of affordable accommodation is a major hurdle that discourages disabled students,especially girls from taking up admission. “The fees in most college hostels is very high,and only a few,like Ramjas college,provide concession. We would like the new hostel to be made available soon and request the University to reserve more seats for disabled students,” she said.

During admissions this year,of the 461 students who registered for admission under the PH quota in the first list of admissions,only 135 were girls.

Officials who counsel disabled students during admissions had cited lack of safe and easily accessible accommodation for girls as a major reason for the skewed gender ratio.

Out of nearly 600 students who took admission under the PH quota when admissions closed this year,only about half managed to find accommodation in college hostels.

Others were forced to depend on hostels run by the government or agencies associated to it.