Sharing the details, Prof. V.K. Jain, who is taking over as the Dean of Students at JNU on Friday, said: "Though the target for completion of the hostel is September 30, we are taking into account some unforeseen problems. We are hoping that by this year-end it will be ready."

A member of the faculty at the School of Environmental Sciences, Prof. Jain has been the Chief Proctor and Associate Dean of Students before taking up his new assignment.The new mixed hostel will accommodate 540 students with two wings each for boys and girls. With this, the number of hostels at JNU will rise to 16.

"The new hostel will enable us to accommodate more students. Our priority is to give hostel seats to as many students as possible. We want all outstation students to get accommodation in a reasonable time. This year JNU has given admission to 1,836 regular students (not taking into account part-time students), compared to 1,554 in 2007-08," said Prof. Jain.