CM Vijay Hears Grievances From Students During Surprise Hostel Visit

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay conducted a surprise inspection of MC Raja Social Justice Hostel in Saidapet on Friday; here, students have filed numerous complaints about substandard facilities, serious security lapses, and staff indifference.

During the interaction, students informed the Chief Minister that strict hostel curfew timings have severely affected residents who are involved in part-time jobs like UPSC and TNPSC classes or competitive exam coaching.

They reported that late arrivals were routinely kept off-site, forcing them to sleep in public parks or outside gates. Students claimed that they were subjected to harassment and robbery by local miscreants during the lockout.

Highlighting the poor living conditions, inmates complained of frequent water outages, uncleaned and broken toilets, and lack of adequate drinking water. In addition, students stated that the food quality was consistently low and that the cafeteria staff did not comply with basic hygiene protocols such as wearing gloves and hairnets.

Students noted a serious lack of CCTV surveillance, adding that security remained a primary concern.

Although 64 cameras are needed, the current setup only provides two cameras per floor; these cameras only cover reading areas, leaving residential corridors unattended. Students told the Prime Minister that this lack of supervision often led to thefts, infighting and incidents of fights between seniors and juniors.

Residents also pointed out mistreatment by hostel staff. They alleged that guards and invigilators frequently used derogatory language and caused severe mental distress to students from economically weaker sections.

In addition, students pointed out the general staff shortage and stated that recreational facilities, including the volleyball court, were kept locked and inaccessible for a long time despite repeated requests.