Female tribal students will participate in the long-term parade because they do not accept accommodation in government hotels

Pratiksha Kavate, 17, is a 11th grade student who lives with her parents in Kavatewasti, at least an hour from her university in Junnar Taluka in Pune district of Maharashtra. Pratiksha’s classes start at 7 a.m., she wakes up at 5 a.m. to do housework and arrives at the university by bus at 6 a.m. She has applied to the Tribal Development Department for accommodation for higher education.

“If I didn’t get into the hotel, I had to travel for two hours a day. Later, I did the chores and didn’t have time to study,” Pratiksha said. The Travel Development Department (TDD) was unable to accommodate her or the 160 other girls from Junar Tribe Hotels, as the 80 occupied hotels had been occupied by 200 girls (out of their capacity). The same problem has occurred in various parts of Maharashtra.

The Student Union of India (SFI) held several discussions with the tribal department to accommodate the girls’ accommodation in government hotels. However, this did not take a fruitful turn, leading to a sit-in protest outside the tribal development sector in Nashik in August 2024. SFI has now decided to organize a long parade on May 1 to delay enrollment for tribal students at the hotel. The rally will be from Shivneri Fort to the residence of the Chief Minister of Mumbai. The rally started for the first time on April 28, but the rally has been postponed until May 1 after awaiting a response from the tribe department.

“We have been paying attention to this issue, but TDD has not provided us with any reliable solutions. Without accommodation, these girls will not be able to accept admission to the university, wasting a school year or long travel, affecting their studies. This is one of the reasons many tribal students are deprived of higher education,” said Ramdas Prini Sivanandan, a member of SFI, Ramdas Prini Sivanandan.

SFI wrote a letter to the Tribal Development Department about issues with students at Ashram schools and hotels across the state, including the quality of food and the availability of hotel spaces. They also asked to stop the Direct Welfare Transfer (DBT) system for meals and restore the chaotic system to provide hotels for students applying for, building government buildings instead of rented houses, etc.

The Tribal Development Department has acknowledged the issue and claims they are exploring options that are suitable for students. “The government is exploring several options, not only in Junnar, but in all of Maharashtra, we are on any issues that prevail whenever it is prevailing. Hindus.