Swati landed in the city a week back from Patna with her brother and is staying at her relative's place.

Her priority is not to get a good course in a good college. It is actually girls' hostel that she is looking for. "I have only applied for the colleges where hostels are available for girls," she says. Girls' hostels are primarily available in the girls' colleges in Delhi University.

"I didn't want to study in a girls' college but I also wanted residential facility, which narrowed down my choices substantially," says Natasha from Hisar.

In the end, Natasha made a choice and decided to take up a room in one of the many PG's available around the North and South campuses of the University.

However, the problem continues on end. "The PG has closed down and I am looking for another place now," she says.

Delhi University has always had a crisis of residential facilities for girls. Mr S. K. Vij, the Dean of Student's Welfare, says that the University authorities are quite aware and sensitive about the issue.

"We have tried to maintain a balance as far as the hostel facility for post-graduation girl students is concerned. Colleges, however, are autonomous bodies. There's not much we can do about them," he says.