Despite being the hub of abundant international investments, and lavish privatisation of the education sector, there is a severe crisis in the government-run hostels for students, all across Karnataka. Ironically, Karnataka boasts of the highest number of hostels in India, but only a small fraction of them are run by the government. Reports from various parts of the state have exposed terrible conditions, including absence of necessary infrastructure and resources, inadequate safety measures, and multiple cases of harassment in the government-run hostels. Buildings are often crumbling, with broken and leaking walls and roofs, with unhygienic toilets. Alongside these, there is a severe lack of hostels for students from SC/ST, OBC, and other minority backgrounds. The reality of the SC and ST pre-metric and post-matric hostels across Karnataka paints an overall bad picture of student welfare under the Congress government that completes two years in power.
Students across Karnataka have raised their voices over concerns of the miserable conditions of hostel facilities. In Bangalore last year, nearly 600 female students, from Bangalore University’s Ramabai Girls’ Hostel, protested against a frustrating nine months-long water shortage and frequent power outage, which severely affected their health, hygiene, and daily routine. In multiple instances, students have protested against the unhygienic, sub-standard food served in these hostels. In February this year, there came a report that students in a girls’ hostel in Koppal were residing in hostels that operated without doors in toilets and bathrooms. An inspection revealed that beyond this, students there faced multiple other issues like the absence of clean water, mosquito nets, and the usage of untreated water for cooking and drinking. Multiple instances have been reported where students were forced to do favours for the wardens, in fear of being harassed or expelled if they refused. Students in Mandya, Kolar, and other regions have raised their critical concerns regarding dangerously unhygienic food to the administrations and ministries, who do nothing.
As per the Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan and Tribal Sub-Plan Act, passed in 2013, under the then Congress government, a portion of the state’s budgetary plan is earmarked to the population of SC and ST communities. The funds are distributed under 34 departments, one of which is the expenditure on hostels and schools borne by the Social Welfare Department and the ST Welfare Department. Despite an increase in the SCSP/TSP budget from ₹39,121 crore in 2024-25 to ₹42,018 crore in 2025-26, various students and activist groups have criticized the government for diverting ₹13,433.84 crore to general welfare schemes, including guarantees. They argue this undermines targeted support for SC/ST communities. The allocations for the Social Welfare and ST Welfare Departments (₹5,104 crore and ₹1,923 crore respectively) are inadequate, students say, stressing that at least 50% of the corpus should go toward SC/ST education.
There is also severe overcrowding in these hostels, especially those in the bigger towns and cities, while several hostels remain vacant. The absence of proper security has been an alarming issue. Many hostels do not have compound walls or security personnel. This along with the incompetent wardens have caused multiple young students-especially girls- vulnerable to sexual harassment, bullying and other dangers.
Above and beyond the already trickled down funds the hostels are receiving, there is another added layer of corruption where many hostel wardens siphoned off funds, committed acts of adulteration in partnership with local dealers, and made the students’ lives hell. Thus, resources are not distributed properly, and the health and livelihoods of the students are put at stake. All these concerns fall on the deaf ears of the governments, the ones that have come and gone.
Students who raise their voices and dissent are immediately silenced with threat of expulsion or punishment. Student unions are banned in Bangalore, thus depriving students of effective channels to make their voices heard. Students have to protest repeatedly just for decent water or functioning bathrooms- which are basic rights! Marginalised students are further burdened by the fear of social exclusion shaped by historical oppression.
Despite being portrayed as welfare institutions for students from minority backgrounds to support their education, these hostels add on to the students’ struggles for basic rights and dignity. Karnataka’s hostel crisis is not just about infrastructure and incompetence. It shows the failure of governance, accountability, and political will. It is a reflection of a society where the voices from the margins have no volume at the table for the giants. The Congress government is continuously exposing itself as an anti-people force, as not an alternative to the fascist regime, but one with a prettier face.
