‘We need these reading rooms, all we want is safety’: CA students in Delhi’s Laxmi Nagar

Not libraries, these are reading rooms

Similar to the much-talked-about UPSC libraries in Mukherjee Nagar and Old Rajinder Nagar, the libraries or as they call reading rooms here are present in abundance too, but not in basements. Laxmi Nagar does not have a lot of basements, and even ground floors are usually booked as parking spots for residential areas. These libraries, therefore, are on the first floors or top floors crowded with CA aspirants.

The students in these libraries too sit shoulder-to-shoulder due to lack of space. These places do not provide books like a regular library. The owners — such as of Fine Library, Study Buddy, Toppers Library — charge around Rs 600-800 for six hours of study, Rs 1200 for 12 hours and around Rs 1800 for 24 hours. With promises of free WiFi services and AC rooms, these libraries are rooms where CA aspirants can focus on preparation.

“Even though I live in Delhi, I have been coming to this library for over six months. I get distracted at home as there is the comfort of bed, hot food, etc. Here, even if I feel like slogging, the fact that I can see 80 other people sitting next to me and studying so religiously keeps me going,” shared Naresh, a 23-year-old CA aspirant.

However, the UPSC drowning incident has brought a wave of fear in students and organisers in Laxmi Nagar too. When indianexpress.com asked a few coaching centres in Laxmi Nagar if they had libraries, the coaching institutes either declined or termed them as ‘reading rooms’.

The cramped and unsafe living conditions may have a new location and name in Laxmi Nagar, but the danger remains the same and equally unseen. “We used to joke about it that if my friend sneezes then I can have a shower — we sit that close to each other in our library. Just because we are on the first floor doesn’t mean it is safe. If a tragedy strikes, we will not be able to run out of the building through these narrow stairs, without trampling on each other,” said a CA aspirant who is currently preparing for his Final level in a library based in D Block of Laxmi Nagar.

CA libraries in Laxmi Nagar. (Express photo)

A lot of students have also decided to join these libraries out of peer pressure. Archna, a Delhi resident, was spotted outside the Laxmi Nagar metro station looking for her ‘didi’ who is a member of one of the libraries located on the top floor opposite the metro station. When asked why did she want to join the library when she lives in Delhi, she admitted that she was “told that I will be able to concentrate here better”.

Another CA aspirant who travelled from Ghaziabad to Laxmi Nagar to study at one of the libraries said that since one of her family friend is studying at a library and cleared CA in the first attempt, her parents deemed it fit to send her to this library too. “I am able to concentrate better for sure, but not on days when the person sitting next to me smells bad,” she laughs.

Poor living conditions, limited options

While libraries have become a talking point in the past week, students living in Laxmi Nagar are also urging the officials to take a hard look at the living conditions of students in these areas.

“I came from a small village in Rajasthan, and my parents work very hard to be able to afford my coaching fees, I cannot expect them to pay a hefty amount for my accommodation too. I had told them that I am paying 9000 for a shared room which is in good living conditions, but thankfully they have not asked for a picture yet, otherwise they will be disappointed,” a female CA aspirant told The Indian Express while showing the Rs 9000-rent AC room which she will be sharing with another girl.

Student rooms on rent in Laxmi Nagar. (Express photo)

These aspirants usually rely on dabba services for their food and on days when the rain make it difficult for the service to be delivered, aspirants rely solely on tea and Maggi. “Technically, we are not allowed to keep an induction in our rooms, but some girls have sneaked it here. I have a kettle in my room and I have mastered the art of making tea and Maggi in it. So on days when the food service fails us, we are hardly left with options,” said Aashna, a CA aspirant from Jaipur.

Students in these cramped up spaces are also worried about their safety, especially girls. Aashna’s roommate, who earlier used to pay 7000 to live with other girls on the second floor of a girls PG in the D block of Laxmi Nagar said she shifted out of the previous PG as the owners always kept a key with them. “I once came back home and found the receptionist showing my room to someone else as one bed was empty in my room. That scared me because they have an extra set of key of my room. I have nobody in Delhi, and that felt very unsafe,” she recalled.

With more and more aspirants flocking to the Capital for exam preparation, these places will remain in demand. However, the authority needs to keep a check multiple things including security to avoid any mishap.