By Tarique Anwar, TwoCircles.net,
Shams Alam Khan is doing M. Phil in Economics from Patna University. Resident of Brauli block in Gopalganj district in Bihar, Khan from a poor family is staying at the Maulana Abul Hasan Ali Nadvi Hostel in Patna College campus in the state capital.
Former Chief Minister of Bihar Rabri Devi inaugurating the Maulana A. H. Ali Nadwi Minority Hostel at Patna College, Patna on 17th February 2004
Md Ismail Ansari, also from Gopalganj, is doing Ph.D. in History from the same university where Shams Alam Khan is studying. Ansari shares the hostel with Khan. The hostel has been constructed by the state government for students from the minority community who are doing higher studies. This is one of three such hostels in the city.
Besides Patna, construction work on such hostels is in progress in 14 other districts in the state. The project was approved by the RJD government. Work began three years ago soon after Nitish Kumar (of JD-U) led NDA government was formed. But the work is yet to complete, said a higher official of the state Minority Welfare Department while talking to TwoCircles.net. He said construction work of only two buildings, which are for girls only, one in Patna and another in Katihar, has been completed but they are yet to be furnished.
Asked who is responsible for this – department or district authorities – he said both can be blamed for this lethargic attitude. The department, however, has given funds to Buxar, Sheikhpura, Jamui, Araria, Kishanganj, Katihar, Nalanda and Patna districts. District Magistrates (DM) are responsible for ensuring construction on the lands allocated but very disappointingly they do not show any sincerity. They put this amount in government’s CD account instead of utilizing it.
Five hostels were constructed in Gaya, Jehanabad, Patna and Hajipur in the previous RJD government. But Jehanabad hostel is presently is occupied by Central Reserve Police Force. Some anti-social elements ransacked hostel building in Hajipur. The DM was directed to set up an enquiry committee to find out the culprits but no enquiry team was set up. The hostel is presently not in condition that students can stay there.
What is the minority department doing to overcome these problems? “Our department has lack of sufficient manpower. The department has not its own secretary and minister. The Chief Secretary (Home) has additional charge of the department as its principal secretary and the minister too has additional charge of the department. Both of them have no time to give much attention as needed to the department and this is the prominent reason that no one is interested in implementation of schemes for minorities”, the official told TCN on the condition of anonymity.
The state capital Patna has three minority hostels. Two are functioning while one, exclusive for girls, is yet to be completed.
TwoCircles.net visited Maulana Abul Hasan Ali Nadvi Hostel, Allama Iqbal Hostel and Mother Teresa Hostel (for girls) located in the campus of Patna College here. The registrar of Patna University allots the rooms to the students. The allotment of the room is done on the basis of marks of the students. The university invites application forms against the vacant seats in each educational year. The applicants are shortlisted on the basis of marks.
Maulana Abul Hasan Ali Nadvi Hostel has 36 rooms in which 18 rooms have single bed and the rest 18 have four beds each. This hostel is for post graduate students. Next to it is the Allama Iqbal Hostel which is for under graduate students. Mother Teresa Hostel has not been completed.
Maulana Abul Hasan Ali Nadvi Hostel is looking new in comparison to Allama Iqbal Hostel. But both the hostels are neat and clean and airy. Single-bed rooms have enough space for one bed of standard size and a chair and table for studies. All rooms have shelves to keep books. TCN found that most of the students studying there hail from the villages of nearby districts. Most of them are from poor or middle class families. All of them are sincerely devoted to their studies.
The room in this hostel is allotted strictly for the duration of the course. After completion of the course one has to vacate the room within a week after the vacation order displayed on the notice board and if a student does not complete his course during scheduled duration then he has to take special permission from the university to stay there, informed Md Ismail Ansari and Shams Alam of Maulana Abul Hasan Ali Nadvi Hostel.