Exclusive: 70 DU students slept on Venky classroom floors, says principal

Sri Venkateswara College opened its campus, hostels and classrooms to students affected by the Satya Niketan building collapse. Around 70 students sought shelter, reflecting the fear among those living nearby. Venky principal, Professor Vajala Ravi, led the response asking students to stay on campus and assuring them of basic support.Nearly 70 students spent the night inside the college premises.The night of September 6, 2026, turned harrowing for many students living in Satya Niketan. They had come to Delhi to study — some in colleges, others at coaching centres, but for around 70 of them, the night was spent inside classrooms, in spaces they would ordinarily enter for their regular lessons.At Venky, or Sri Venkateswara College, the night was uneasy, but far removed from the fear that had gripped Satya Niketan.Students from several colleges slept on classroom floors, not alone but alongside the college principal, Professor Vajala Ravi, who took the initiative to open the campus to those looking for a safe place to spend the night.The college, which has only around 150 hostel beds, opened its doors to the students and arranged food, water, medicines and mental-health support through its help desk. Students already residing in the hostel, both boys and girls, also volunteered to help. Many stayed through the night with friends who had sought shelter on campus.CLASSROOMS TURNED INTO DORMITORIES AS COLLEGE STEPS INProfessor Vajala Ravi, principal of Sri Venkateswara College, told India Today in an exclusive interview that the management began making arrangements almost immediately after the incident. “At 1:30, the horrible and terrifying incident took place, and by 1:40, the college team had started preparing to shelter all those in need. This being one of the oldest campuses and one of the first to provide hostel facilities, we consider it our responsibility to do this for students. They can stay here for an indefinite period. There will be no shortage of food, water or medical supplies. Our resources are sufficient to support everyone staying here,” he said.For students shaken by the Satya Niketan building collapse, the night of September 6 was particularly difficult.Nearly 70 students spent the night inside the college premises. Professor Ravi also chose to remain with them through the night, sleeping on the floor of the college administration building as arrangements were put in place.“My father was a clerk in the college. It is my college; I studied here and lived in this locality. There is an emotional connection with the college. Seeing this challenge at 1:40 pm, just 10 minutes later, we started preparations for any kind of support to students from Satya Niketan. We just wanted them to feel safe and secure,” he stressed.The college also opened a help desk for students seeking assistance. NSS volunteers were deployed to help those arriving at the campus, while classrooms were converted into temporary dormitories for the night.“The NSS help desk and NSS volunteers are constantly helping the students who came here. We converted classrooms into dormitories last night, but today they have been shifted to hostels and other buildings. The Mental Health Society is also taking care of the students and is available for anyone seeking support,” Professor Ravi said.HOSTEL SHORTAGE REMAINS A LARGER DU PROBLEMThe response has come against the backdrop of a much wider hostel shortage at Delhi University. Sri Venkateswara College itself has a student strength of around 4,300, while its existing hostel capacity remains limited to about 150 beds.The question of expanding that capacity, however, is not straightforward. The college operates within a regulatory framework that places restrictions on construction, particularly in South Delhi.According to the principal, “We are bound by the laws and regulations here. Even to build a single room there is so much hassle. Being in South Delhi, the permissible height of any building does not allow us to undertake vertical construction. But we are talking with all the authorities to find a middle ground that could help us solve this problem."He added that discussions were underway on improving the college’s infrastructure within the existing framework.The shortage extends well beyond one college. Of the more than 80 colleges under Delhi University, only around 17-19 have hostel facilities for students. The problem is particularly consequential for students who come to Delhi from outside the city.Around 70 per cent of Delhi University’s students are estimated to come from outside Delhi, making access to affordable and secure accommodation a persistent concern.The hostel shortage has also entered the political conversation on campus. With Delhi University student elections underway, both NSUI and ABVP have raised the issue and are pressing university authorities to address the lack of accommodation.For now, colleges such as Venkateswara are being pushed to respond to an immediate crisis with whatever space they have. At Venkateswara, that has meant opening hostel beds, classrooms and other parts of the campus to students who suddenly need somewhere to stay.- EndsPublished On: Sep 8, 2026 08:50 IST