New Delhi: Amid low enrollments, the Kota district administration implemented several hostel reforms, such as eliminating security charges, capping annual maintenance fees at Rs 2,000, and requiring mandatory gatekeeper training for staff, among others.
The reforms, announced Monday under the ‘Kota Cares’ initiative launched last December, aim to create a holistic ecosystem for students, developed through extensive stakeholder consultations.
On 2 October, 2024, ThePrint reported a significant drop in enrollments in Kota, India’s coaching capital, leading to vacant hostels and a downturn in the city’s economy. The decline is primarily attributed to a spate of student suicides linked to intense competition, the rise of coaching hubs in other cities, and the increasing popularity of online education.
According to various news reports, at least four students have died by suicide in Kota within two months of this year.
“With these comprehensive reforms, we’re building a support system that covers all aspects of student life—from affordable housing to mental health support to recreational needs. This is about transforming Kota into a city that cares for its students as much as it trains them,” said District Collector Ravindra Goswami.
Also Read: Kota business owners say city will become ‘suicide hub’ as education industry is hit by lockdown
No security fees for hostels, cap on annual maintenance
To attract more students back to Kota, the district administration, in collaboration with the hostel association, has decided to eliminate security deposit fees and caution money, while capping annual maintenance charges at Rs 2,000 for hostel enrollments.
“Currently, hostels take one month’s rent as a security deposit, along with the rent for the ongoing month, when students are admitted. We have now decided to eliminate this practice to reduce the financial burden on students,” said Naveen Mittal, president of Kota’s Hostel Association, in an interview with ThePrint.
Mittal said that many hostels had been charging a “caution fee” annually, which will now be discontinued. “There will only be an annual maintenance charge of Rs 2,000 from now on,” he confirmed.
When asked about the reduction in overall hostel fees, Mittal clarified that charges would still vary depending on the facilities provided. “However, now all hostels are on board with these changes. We all want to see more students coming to Kota, and we’re optimistic that enrollments will rise this year,” he added.
Kota is home to around 4,000 hostels, with over 1.25 lakh students currently enrolled at various coaching institutes. In 2023, over 2 lakh students were enrolled in the city.
Also Read: School education secy hits out at ‘Kota model, coaching pressure’ — ‘Where is joyful learning?’
Mandatory hiring of hostel staff with ‘gatekeeping’ certification
Under the revised norms, it is now mandatory to hire hostel staff with gatekeeping certification. Gatekeeping training equips staff with the skills to monitor, support, and manage individuals, with a focus on identifying and addressing mental health or safety concerns. It prepares them to be the first point of contact for students in need of assistance.
“While new staff will be hired only after obtaining gatekeeping certification, existing staff will be trained in collaboration with the district administration,” Mittal said.
Goswami said that the district administration has already trained 7,000 staff members from various hostels. “We will soon start free of cost refresher courses as well,” he said.
Additionally, hostels will be required to install modern safety infrastructure, including CCTV and biometric systems, and implement special provisions for women’s hostels, such as female wardens. Mandatory certifications will include Anti-Hanging Device certificates and Fire NOCs, while regular night attendance through personal room visits and dedicated recreation areas will also be required.
“The majority of hostels already have these facilities, but now it will be mandatory for all,” Mittal added.
‘Kota Cares’ help desks at railway, bus stands
The district administration is set to launch Kota Cares help desks at railway stations and bus stands, creating a city-wide network of student support centers and a coordinated response system for student assistance.
District Collector Goswami told ThePrint that the help desks will provide a list of hostels that meet the required standards to incoming students and their parents in Kota.
“We received reports of middlemen approaching parents, guiding them to hostels where they would receive commissions, without any guarantee of compliance with the regulations. Once the parents made payments for accommodation, they were left stuck. We’ve eliminated this issue by removing the security payment requirement. Now, with the help desks in place, parents and students will receive proper guidance and support,” he said.
Besides, it has been announced that some of the city’s hangout spaces will be made free for students.
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)