Campus Hostel Safety in Focus as More Women Move Into Higher Education
Allegations of a hostel rape at a Punjab university have revived questions about campus safety, as UGC data shows reported harassment cases fluctuating and hostel numbers rising.
Protests at Lovely Professional University in Punjab, where it was alleged that a female student had been raped inside a girls' hostel, have brought the question of women's safety on campuses back into public debate. The university has rejected the allegation as false and fabricated, while police have registered a case and set up a special team to investigate. The charge remains unestablished.
The episode has drawn attention to a longer-term trend: more young women are living away from home for their studies, and the systems meant to protect them are being watched closely.
More women in hostels
Data from the All India Survey on Higher Education shows a steady rise in the number of girl students living in hostels. In 2015-16, about 18.6 lakh girls were hostel residents. By 2023-24, that figure had climbed to 25.2 lakh — an increase of nearly 36 per cent.
As hostel populations grow, safety within campuses and residential facilities remains a persistent concern.
Reported harassment cases
Figures compiled by the University Grants Commission on sexual harassment cases reported by universities and colleges show wide swings from year to year. Institutions reported 160 cases in 2015-16, rising to 257 in 2016-17 and then dropping to 49 in 2017-18. The count climbed to 294 in 2019-20, fell to 40 in 2021-22, and then rose sharply to 425 in 2022-23 — roughly 166 per cent higher than the 2015-16 figure.
These numbers cover only cases reported by institutions included in the UGC data, and do not capture every incident of sexual harassment across India's higher-education system.
The same data indicates that a growing share of reported cases was recorded as disposed of. In 2015-16, 107 of 160 cases were disposed of, a rate of 66.9 per cent. By 2022-23, institutions had disposed of 423 of 425 reported cases, a rate of nearly 99.5 per cent. The aggregate figures do not spell out the outcome of individual cases or whether they led to police or court proceedings.
The number of cases pending for more than 90 days also moved unevenly, rising to 53 in 2019-20 before falling to one in 2022-23.