The Hyderabad water crisis has begun disrupting junior college operations, with several corporate colleges announcing early Diwali holidays, asking hostel students to vacate their rooms and shifting classes online until the situation improves.
Two campuses of leading corporate colleges in Madhapur and HiTEC City announced the holidays from Tuesday evening. The colleges did not announce a reopening date, saying students would be informed before Diwali about when physical classes would resume.
One college notice said the decision was taken because of the “severe water crisis prevailing across Hyderabad”. It said temporary holidays would be provided for both junior and senior students until Diwali, while online classes would continue regularly so that academic activities were not interrupted. Students were asked to attend the online sessions without fail.
The immediate impact has been felt most sharply by students living in college hostels. Institutions asked hostel residents to vacate their rooms after the physical campuses closed, forcing students to make arrangements to return home or find alternative accommodation. The report did not specify how many students or campuses have been affected.
The closures also raise questions about the operation of residential educational institutions in areas facing water shortages. Student leaders questioned whether the colleges had obtained official permission to suspend physical classes or had taken the decision independently.
“This once again shows that colleges are doing whatever they want,” student leader Dileep J was quoted as saying. He also questioned how colleges facing water shortages had been allowed to operate hostels in the affected areas and asked why officials were not examining the situation.
Several other colleges are expected to consider similar measures. Universities and colleges across Telangana are also reportedly examining a shift to online classes and the possibility of curtailing the academic year if the water crisis worsens.
Sources cited in the report said some colleges could extend the closure for the rest of the academic year if water availability does not improve in the coming days. The institutions have not confirmed that step, however, and the immediate notices only refer to temporary holidays until Diwali.
The colleges are expected to communicate their reopening plans before Diwali. Until then, online classes are set to remain the primary way for students to continue their academic activities, while the status of hostel operations will depend on the availability of water on the campuses.
