Karnataka High Court takes Suo Moto cognizance of staff crunch within hostels for  SC/ST students

The Karnataka High Court has taken Suo Moto cognizance of the deficiency in staff within hostels catering to SC/ST students, as reported by the media. In response, the court has initiated a voluntary Public Interest Litigation (PIL) and issued a notice to the Social Welfare Department, which oversees these hostels.

The PIL was filed by the Registrar General of the High Court.

Former Additional Advocate General Nitin Ramesh has been appointed as the amicus curiae to assist the court in this matter. The court has instructed the registrar to provide a copy of the PIL and other relevant documents related to the case. The PIL specifically addresses the shortage of staff in hostels that cater to both pre-matriculation and post-matriculation SC/ST students.

Notably, Karnataka has a total of 1,297 hostels for pre-matriculation students and 1,165 hostels for post-matriculation students, all operated by the Social Welfare Department. However, a deficit of 1,200 wardens and superintendents has emerged due to irregularities in the staff recruitment processes.