Hyderabad: The Children’s Rights Welfare Association (BHSS) has demanded that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy call an emergency review, accusing state‑run hostels of “institutional neglect” that endangers students.
“Government hostels are becoming pressure cookers,” said BHSS general secretary Enjamuri Raghunandan. He urged the state to post two trained counsellors in every mandal, require routine mental health checks, and empower teachers to flag at-risk students early. “Counselling must be proactive, not post-mortem,” he warned.
BHSS also wants a sweeping overhaul of discipline. Teachers should spot distress signals instead of punishing low grades, Raghunandan said: “Children aren’t roll numbers. Their home life and emotions count.”
The group blames rigid timetables and scarce recreation in residential campuses for rising depression and “unsafe romantic entanglements.” Unchecked exposure to cinema and social media worsens the risk, while reports of unknown men near girls’ hostels amplify fear. BHSS urged police SHE Teams to patrol campuses regularly.
Raghunandan blasted what he called a “pass the buck culture” among district collectors and wardens, arguing that administrative inertia is putting children in harm’s way.
