Preeti, an 18-year-old physically challenged student at Daulat Ram College, had worked hard to get into the “North Campus”. It is difficult for the first year student of BCom (Honours) to travel all the way from her Samaypur Badli home to come to the college, but her request for a hostel seat had been turned down because she is a resident of Delhi.

Her prayers were answered when she got to meet Vice-Chancellor Dinesh Singh who was taking a round of her college on Monday along with his core team. He listened to her plea and directed the Dean Students’ Welfare to “immediately” provide her with a hostel room.

Singh was interacting with students on the first day of the second semester. As Preeti skilfully stepped down the stairs with the help of her crutches, Singh took out a few minutes to have a chat with her. After discussing her results and the semester system, Preeti told the V-C that she lived in Samaypur Badli in Outer Delhi and commuted by bus everyday. “The Metro station is far from my house... I had applied for hostel, but was denied a seat as the facility is only for non-Delhites,” she told Singh.

The V-C immediately asked Dean of Students’ Welfare J M Khurana to intervene. “This girl comes from so far everyday. We must make the hostel facility available to her. I request the Dean Students’ Welfare to provide her with a hostel room at the earliest,” he said. As directed, Khurana took down her details, promising to provide her with accommodation at the earliest.

Speaking to Newsline, Preeti said: “My semester result was not very good because I studied in a Hindi medium school. Here, the syllabus is in English... Maybe, if I get a room in the hostel, it will help me save time and study harder.”