Pune Hostel Students Face Suspension Over Pizza Order, Sparking Debate

Moshi, 10th February 2025: Four female students at a Government Hostel in Moshi, Pune, face potential suspension for ordering pizza, sparking controversy over disciplinary measures in state-run accommodations. The incident, which occurred at the Social Justice and Special Assistance Department’s hostel for backward-class girls, has drawn attention to the strict rules governing these facilities.

The hostel administration issued notices to the students after discovering a pizza box in one of the rooms during an inspection on 30th January. The notice, dated 6th February, stated that bringing outside food into the hostel rooms is strictly prohibited, and the students had been previously informed of this rule.

According to the hostel warden, Minakshi Narhare, the four students sharing the room denied ordering the pizza when questioned. The notice gave them until 8th February to admit to bringing the food item into the hostel, warning that failure to do so would result in all four students being barred from the hostel for one month.

The incident has raised concerns among parents and student advocates about the severity of the punishment. Adv. Kuldip Ambekar, President of the Student Helping Hand organization in Pune, has demanded an investigation into the matter by the Divisional and Joint Commissioners of Social Welfare. He has called for action against officials who create arbitrary rules that unfairly penalize students and requested that the affected students be transferred to a different hostel to avoid further distress.

One of the students involved expressed her distress, stating, “We have received three notices from the hostel warden. I did not bring pizza from outside into the hostel. Yet, I am being issued notices. This is causing me mental stress.”

Hostel warden Minakshi Narhare defended the action, explaining that the prohibition on outside food is a precautionary measure to protect the health of the hostel residents. She clarified that the notices were issued as a warning to maintain discipline among the 250 students residing in the facility and that no student has been expelled or had their admission revoked.