NESO demands 75% seat reservation for NE students in JNU’s Barak hostel

The North East Students’ Organisation (NESO), the apex body representing students from all eight Northeastern states, has issued a strong statement demanding justice, transparency, and inclusion in the allotment process of Barak Hostel at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi.

In an official representation submitted to the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), NESO expressed grave concern over the First Allotment List for Barak Hostel dated April 8, 2025. 

The organization alleged that the list fails to adhere to the foundational mandate of reserving 75% of the seats for students from the Northeast, as agreed upon in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between JNU, the North Eastern Council (NEC), and the Ministry of DoNER.

Barak Hostel was established as a response to the long-standing marginalization, discrimination, and systemic exclusion faced by Northeastern students in mainland institutions. NESO emphasized that the hostel is not a concession but a hard-earned achievement born out of persistent struggle and institutional recognition of the region’s unique challenges.

In solidarity with the North East Students’ Forum (NESF) at JNU, NESO has put forward the following demands:

Immediate rollback of the First Allotment List (dated 8 April 2025)

Restriction of initial allotments to only 1/5th of total seats until a transparent and inclusive process is ensured

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Public release of the MoU and all relevant documents for accountability

Prioritization of North East students in line with the hostel’s original mandate

Written assurance from JNU administration to uphold the MoU terms

Recognition of NESF as the legitimate student representative body for all Barak Hostel-related matters

Calling the current allotment process “exclusionary” and “an act of institutional betrayal,” NESO warned that failure to act would severely erode the trust of marginalized communities in central universities. The organization also underscored that token representation without substantive inclusion amounts to nothing more than symbolic appeasement.

NESO concluded by urging the Ministry of DoNER to take immediate and decisive action to uphold the founding principles of Barak Hostel. It has also stated that it will continue to monitor developments and is prepared to escalate the matter if necessary.