Delhi University’s massive student population stands in stark contrast to its limited hostel capacity, leaving thousands of students, particularly those from outside the Capital, dependent on private paying-guest (PG) accommodation in areas such as Satya Niketan.The university has more than 7 lakh students enrolled across its regular, professional and open-learning programmes, while around 2.5 lakh students were registered during the 2024-25 academic session. However, the university does not publish an official consolidated figure for the total number of hostel rooms available to students.Reports put the university’s hostel capacity at only around 7,000 to 8,000 rooms. Against the 2.5 lakh students registered in 2024-25, this translates to roughly one hostel room for every 31 students.The scale of the accommodation shortage is also evident from the demand. A 2025 report said more than 30,000 undergraduate students had applied for hostel accommodation, but fewer than 10 per cent managed to secure a seat.With university hostels catering to only a fraction of the student population, those coming from outside Delhi are often forced to rely on private PGs and rented accommodation near the university’s campuses. The demand has fuelled the growth of densely populated student housing in localities such as Satya Niketan, where safety and living conditions have come under scrutiny following the building collapse.The university has also been asked to provide details of the number of outstation students enrolled with it and the hostel facilities available to accommodate them.Following the Satya Niketan tragedy, Delhi University Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh directed college principals to review residential facilities for students and expedite ongoing hostel projects.The incident has once again highlighted the gap between Delhi University’s vast student population and its limited hostel infrastructure — a shortage that pushes students towards private accommodation where, amid soaring demand and inadequate oversight, safety can become a casualty.