PG Vs Hostels of Private Universities

Delhi PG Collapse Puts Student Hostel Safety in Focus: What Can Students and Colleges Learn?

As questions emerge around the Satya Niketan PG collapse, leading private universities are offering a different model of student accommodation—combining safety, security, comfort, healthcare, technology and campus life.

New Delhi | September 7, 2026

The tragic collapse of a five-storey building being used as a boys' paying guest accommodation in Satya Niketan, South Delhi, on September 6 has brought the safety of student accommodation sharply into focus.

According to reports, the building collapsed at around 1:30 pm. The structure, known as Hostel Daze, was located close to Delhi University's South Campus, an area known for its large concentration of student hostels, PGs, restaurants and other student-oriented facilities. Seven people were reported dead and 11 others were rescued as rescue operations continued.

Initial reports have raised questions about the building's condition and repair or construction activity reportedly underway in the basement. Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the collapse.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has also suspended five officials, including senior engineering personnel, pending disciplinary proceedings following the incident.

The tragedy has consequently raised a much larger question for India's rapidly expanding higher-education ecosystem:

What should a safe and modern student hostel actually look like?

Hostel Is No Longer Just a Room and a Bed

For thousands of students every year, moving to another city for higher education means living away from their families for three or more years.

A hostel therefore becomes much more than accommodation.

It becomes:

A home away from home.

It is where students sleep, study, eat, socialise, exercise, receive medical assistance and spend a significant part of their university life.

As a result, hostel infrastructure is increasingly becoming an important consideration for students and parents while selecting an institution.

The leading private universities are already moving towards a broader concept of student living, where accommodation is combined with safety, academic support, healthcare, recreation and technology.

What Are Leading Private Universities Doing?

There is no single national ranking that can conclusively identify the "best hostel in India". However, several established private universities provide useful benchmarks for different aspects of residential student life.

VIT – A Large-Scale Residential Ecosystem

Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) operates a large residential system with multiple room categories and extensive student amenities.

Its hostel facilities include accommodation options with different occupancy configurations, AC and non-AC rooms, Wi-Fi, study facilities, gymnasium, sports, swimming, laundry, food outlets, pharmacy and medical support.

VIT also has wardens, residential staff and mechanisms for students to raise concerns and suggestions regarding hostel facilities.

Benchmark:
Scale + services + student support

SRM – Integrated Residential Facilities

SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST) offers a range of residential options for students, with separate accommodation arrangements for boys and girls.

Its hostel facilities include furnished rooms, Wi-Fi, dining, security, CCTV, medical support, gymnasium, indoor sports, reading areas and other student amenities.

Different accommodation configurations and AC options also provide students with greater choice.

Benchmark:
Comfort + security + convenience

Bennett University – Modern Student Living

Bennett University, Greater Noida, represents a newer generation of private university campuses where residential infrastructure is closely integrated with the overall student experience.

Its hostel facilities include furnished and air-conditioned accommodation, common areas, Wi-Fi, security, CCTV, power backup, maintenance and access to sports, fitness and healthcare facilities.

The university has developed substantial residential capacity as part of its campus infrastructure.

Benchmark:
Modern infrastructure + technology + student experience

Amity University – Large Residential Campus

Amity University has developed an extensive residential ecosystem with separate accommodation for boys and girls and multiple room categories.

The residential environment includes furnished accommodation, dining, security, common spaces and access to a wide range of campus facilities.

The model is particularly relevant for institutions managing a large number of residential students.

Benchmark:
Large-scale campus integration

Sharda University – Variety of Accommodation

Sharda University, Greater Noida, offers multiple hostel facilities for students, including a range of named residential blocks.

The university's residential infrastructure includes furnished rooms, dining, Wi-Fi, security, medical support, common areas and recreational facilities.

The institution also has defined hostel policies and regulations governing residential life.

Benchmark:
Choice + residential governance + student facilities

Chandigarh University – Scale and Variety

Chandigarh University is another useful benchmark for large-scale student accommodation.

Its residential facilities provide different room configurations supported by dining, Wi-Fi, security, sports, recreation and common facilities.

For institutions planning significant hostel capacity, the university offers an example of how accommodation can be integrated with a large campus ecosystem.

Benchmark:
Scale + variety + amenities

Manipal – Residential Life as Part of Education

Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) has one of India's more established residential-campus cultures.

Hostels are integrated into the wider campus environment, with accommodation supported by dining, study spaces, recreation and student activities.

The broader lesson from the Manipal model is that students should not simply stay on campus—they should be able to live, learn and participate in campus life.

Benchmark:
Residential community + academic environment

UPES – Student-Centric Residential Experience

UPES, Dehradun, provides another example of a private university where hostel accommodation is integrated with campus life.

Residential facilities are supported by dining, Wi-Fi, security, recreation and student-support services.

For institutions in education-focused cities, the model demonstrates how hostel infrastructure can become part of the overall university proposition.

Benchmark:
Student experience + campus integration

What Should a Good College Hostel Provide?

The comparison of these residential models highlights several important areas.

1. Structural Safety

This should always come first.

Students and parents should be able to ask:

• Is the building structurally sound?
• Is the accommodation approved for its current use?
• Are periodic structural inspections undertaken?
• Has any unauthorised construction taken place?
• Are major renovation or construction activities being carried out?
• Are basement modifications properly assessed?

The Satya Niketan incident makes this particularly important, as reports indicate that construction or repair work was underway in the basement before the collapse.

2. Fire & Emergency Safety

A modern hostel should have:

• Fire extinguishers
• Fire alarms
• Emergency exits
• Emergency lighting
• Evacuation plans
• Clearly identified assembly points
• Emergency contact systems
• Regular safety drills

Having equipment is only one part of safety.

Students and staff should know how to respond during an emergency.

3. 24×7 Security

Residential facilities should ideally provide:

• CCTV surveillance
• Controlled entry and exit
• Visitor management
• Security personnel
• Hostel wardens
• Night supervision
• Emergency response protocols

For girls' hostels, appropriate additional security and supervision arrangements are particularly important.

4. Healthcare

A residential campus should ideally have:

• First-aid facilities
• Medical assistance
• Emergency ambulance arrangements
• Hospital tie-ups
• Access to doctors
• Counselling and wellbeing support

For parents, the question should not simply be "Is there a medical centre?"

It should be:

"What happens if my child needs medical help at 2 AM?"

5. Food & Hygiene

Good accommodation also means good food.

Important facilities include:

• Hygienic kitchens
• Quality-controlled mess
• Nutritious meals
• Clean drinking water
• Regular kitchen inspections
• Multiple food options
• Student feedback mechanisms

6. Academic Support

The hostel should also help students study.

Modern residential facilities can include:

• Dedicated study rooms
• Reading rooms
• High-speed Wi-Fi
• Individual study tables
• Quiet zones
• Printing facilities
• Academic discussion spaces

7. Sports & Recreation

Student wellbeing goes beyond academics.

Leading residential campuses increasingly offer:

• Gymnasiums
• Indoor games
• Outdoor sports
• Swimming pools
• Common rooms
• Recreational areas
• Student clubs
• Cultural activities

These facilities help students develop a balanced lifestyle.

8. Housekeeping & Laundry

Everyday services have a significant impact on student satisfaction.

A well-managed hostel should ideally provide:

• Regular housekeeping
• Laundry
• Maintenance support
• Clean bathrooms
• Pest control
• Drinking-water facilities
• Waste management
• Common-area maintenance

Technology Is Changing Hostel Management

The next generation of hostels is likely to become increasingly technology-enabled.

A student could potentially manage most residential services through a single digital platform:

Room allocation → Fee payment → Visitor entry → Maintenance complaint → Laundry → Food feedback → Emergency alert

Technology can also provide management with real-time information regarding maintenance issues and student complaints.

The objective should not be technology for its own sake.

It should be:

Faster service + better monitoring + greater transparency

Hostel vs Private PG: An Important Choice

The Satya Niketan incident also highlights the difference between institutional hostels and privately operated PG accommodation.

A private PG can provide:

• Convenient location
• Greater independence
• Flexible accommodation
• Potentially lower costs

But the quality and safety standards can vary significantly between properties.

A university-managed hostel may offer greater integration with:

• Campus security
• Medical facilities
• Wardens
• Dining
• Student services
• Sports facilities
• Emergency systems

However, students should not assume that every institutional hostel is automatically safe or that every private PG is unsafe.

The key is verification.

Students and parents should evaluate the actual building, management, safety systems and living conditions before making a decision.

What Parents Should Check Before Choosing a Hostel

Before paying the hostel or PG fee, parents should ask:

Building

Is the building structurally safe and approved for its present use?

Fire Safety

Are emergency exits accessible and fire-safety systems operational?

Security

Who is responsible for students during the night?

Medical

Where will the student be taken in a medical emergency?

Food

How is food quality monitored?

Maintenance

How quickly are complaints resolved?

Construction

Is any renovation, excavation or structural work currently underway?

Emergency

Has the hostel conducted emergency or evacuation drills?

These questions may appear basic, but they can make a significant difference to student safety.

The New Hostel Benchmark

The traditional hostel model can be broadly described as:

Room + Bed + Mess

The emerging model is:

Safety + Comfort + Healthcare + Food + Wi-Fi + Academic Support + Recreation + Technology + Community

This is increasingly becoming the benchmark against which parents and students may evaluate residential institutions.

What Colleges Can Learn

For colleges and universities, the message is equally important.

The question should no longer simply be:

"How many hostel beds do we have?"

Instead:

"What quality of residential experience are we providing?"

Institutions can benchmark their hostels across five key areas:

Area	What Students Expect
Safety	Structural, fire and security systems
Comfort	Furnished rooms, AC/non-AC choices
Health	Medical, food, hygiene and wellbeing
Academics	Wi-Fi, study spaces and quiet zones
Experience	Sports, recreation, community and events

CollegeDakhla View

The September 6 Satya Niketan tragedy is a painful reminder that student accommodation cannot be viewed simply as a commercial facility.

For a student:

A hostel is home.

For parents:

A hostel is an extension of their trust in the institution.

And for colleges and universities:

A hostel is an important part of student welfare.

India's higher-education sector is becoming increasingly residential. Students are travelling across cities and states to pursue professional, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

As this trend continues, the quality of hostel infrastructure will become increasingly important in the overall college-selection decision.

The institutions that invest in safe buildings, professional management, quality food, healthcare, security, technology and student wellbeing will be better positioned to provide a complete educational experience.

The question for students and parents should therefore move from:

"Does this college have a hostel?"

to:

"Is this hostel safe, well-managed and capable of providing a good quality of student life?"

At CollegeDakhla, we believe that choosing a college means looking beyond classrooms and placements.

Campus life, accommodation, safety, food, healthcare, infrastructure and student support are all part of the higher-education experience.

CollegeDakhla News will continue to bring students and parents relevant updates and insights on higher education, admissions, campus infrastructure and student life.

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This article is an editorial feature intended to promote awareness and informed decision-making. Specific building, fire-safety and regulatory requirements vary by location and type of accommodation and should be verified with the relevant competent authorities.