DU Rs 8,000 crore hostel plan for 30,000 students goes before EC today
By TUF News Desk · Published 13 October 2026 · 4 min read
Fact-checked against 2+ independent sources · Editorial policy
Delhi University’s Executive Council came to the table on Tuesday, October 13, with a hostel plan worth nearly Rs 8,000 crore. The proposals would add beds for more than 30,000 students through new construction and the rebuilding of ageing hostels, and the Finance Committee has already recommended them for the council’s approval. If the council says yes, the projects go to the ministries for sanction and funding under grants-in-aid.
New construction accounts for Rs 5,157 crore and space for 20,594 residents, spread across the Dhaka Complex near North Campus, Najafgarh and Surajmal Vihar. The second part demolishes and rebuilds three old hostels at about Rs 2,830 crore, adding more than 9,000 beds.
The Dhaka Complex towers
The largest projects sit at the Dhaka Complex. The University of Delhi has proposed two Y-shaped hostel towers, one for boys and one for girls, each holding 4,836 students at an estimated cost of Rs 1,130 crore. The project documents cited by PTI describe each tower as a ground-plus-31-storey structure with two basements and a built-up area of 154,640 square metres.
Two more Dhaka Complex projects are reserved for women. The Nirbhaya Working Women Accommodation-I would house 1,674 residents at Rs 400 crore. The Ministry of Women and Child Development has earmarked Rs 200 crore for it, and the university plans to seek the remaining Rs 200 crore from the Ministry of Education. A separate women’s accommodation block of the same size and cost is also proposed, along with an undergraduate hostel for 3,162 students at Rs 678 crore.
Beds beyond North Campus
Outside North Campus, the plan puts a 2,340-bed hostel at the East Campus in Surajmal Vihar at Rs 725 crore and a 2,072-bed hostel at Najafgarh at Rs 694 crore.
Three old hostels make way for new ones
The redevelopment side targets three familiar North Campus names. Jubilee Hall would be replaced by a Rs 1,225.59 crore hostel for 3,800 students. The PG Men’s Hostel would make way for a Rs 637.06 crore hostel for 2,337 students. The International Student House would be rebuilt at Rs 966.39 crore for 3,300 students.
Why the push is urgent
DU enrols more than 2.5 lakh students, but its hostels can take only a small share of them. Students from outside Delhi mostly live in private paying-guest rooms and rented flats, where cost, availability and safety are constant concerns. On September 6, a five-storey PG building in Satya Niketan collapsed, killing seven people including five DU students and injuring 12. The incident put private accommodation safety back in focus.
If you are weighing college options right now, our hostel vs PG guide breaks down what university housing actually costs versus a private room, and the university comparison guide covers what else to weigh before you decide. Track the official DU website for what the council decides on October 13.
What a council yes would mean
Executive Council approval would only be the start. Each project still needs ministry sanction and funding, and DU plans to seek it under grants-in-aid. So for students, the October 13 meeting sets the direction of the university’s housing expansion. It does not open any new hostel beds for booking.
Frequently asked questions
Has DU approved the Rs 8,000 crore hostel plan?
Not yet. The proposals are before the Executive Council on October 13, 2026. If approved, they go to the ministries for sanction and funding under grants-in-aid.
How many students will the new DU hostels accommodate?
More than 30,000. New construction adds beds for 20,594 students and the redevelopment of three old hostels adds over 9,000.
Which hostels will DU rebuild?
Jubilee Hall, the PG Men’s Hostel and the International Student House on North Campus are proposed for demolition and reconstruction.
Can students apply for these new hostel beds now?
No. The plans are still proposals. No hostel rooms have opened for booking and no application timeline has been announced.
Frequently asked questions
Has DU approved the Rs 8,000 crore hostel plan?
Not yet. The proposals are before the Executive Council on October 13, 2026. If approved, they go to the ministries for sanction and funding under grants-in-aid.
How many students will the new DU hostels accommodate?
More than 30,000. New construction adds beds for 20,594 students and the redevelopment of three old hostels adds over 9,000.
Which hostels will DU rebuild?
Jubilee Hall, the PG Men's Hostel and the International Student House on North Campus are proposed for demolition and reconstruction.
Can students apply for these new hostel beds now?
No. The plans are still proposals. No hostel rooms have opened for booking and no application timeline has been announced.
Sources: The Times of India, ThePrint (PTI), Times Now (PTI), Deccan Herald, EdexLive