KATHMANDU: Kathmandu Metropolitan City has decided to register 183 hostels that were found to be operating in compliance with the prescribed standards following a recent monitoring drive.
A meeting chaired by Sunita Dangol, acting mayor of Kathmandu and coordinator of the hostel monitoring committee, decided that hostels already inspected will be registered through the Education Department, while those yet to be inspected will be monitored and registered through their respective wards.
The Education Department began monitoring hostels from April 27 by deploying five teams. The inspections assessed compliance with standards, service quality, student safety and facilities using a 300-point evaluation system.
Only hostels scoring at least 120 points will qualify for registration. Those falling below the threshold but considered capable of improvement will be given time to make corrections, while facilities unable to meet even the basic requirements will face closure.
The monitoring teams were coordinated by education officers and included ward representatives, representatives of the Nepal Hostel Association and Hostel Business Association, food technologists from the Metropolitan City’s Agriculture and Livestock Department, and officials from the Planning and Monitoring Unit.
Speaking at the meeting, Dangol said the city should create an environment that rewards well-managed hostels while encouraging others to improve.
“Hostels cannot be allowed to operate without meeting certain standards because past experience shows that they can be linked to security, management and inappropriate activities,” she said. “Once the basic standards are met, hostels should also be graded, and the grading could eventually be linked to fees.”
10 mandatory requirements
According to Education Department chief Namraj Dhakal, the city has decided to introduce 10 mandatory requirements focusing on student safety, health and facilities.
Under the minimum standards, there must be at least one toilet for every 10 students. A single operator will not be allowed to run boys’ and girls’ hostels at the same location. If operated separately, the two buildings must be at least 200 metres apart.
CCTV cameras will be mandatory in common areas other than bedrooms and toilets. Hostels must also have fire-control equipment and emergency exits.
Other mandatory requirements include maintaining adequate distance between kitchens and toilets, ensuring an alternative supply of water and electricity around the clock, and prohibiting the employment of child labour under any circumstances.
The city said the measures are intended to make hostel facilities safer and more student-friendly.
Unregistered hostels raise concerns
Representatives of hostel business associations said unregistered hostels have created problems for operators that comply with regulations and have contributed to a negative perception of the sector.
They said some unregistered facilities have reportedly become venues for alcohol consumption and drug abuse, affecting even responsible hostel operators.
“We are also not in favour of allowing anyone to operate a hostel without registration,” business representatives said.
According to the representatives, more than 15,000 hostels are operating across Kathmandu Valley.
The meeting also discussed irregularities within hostel facilities and their broader impact on urban management in Kathmandu.
