Maharashtra Lifts Tribal Hostel Protest Restrictions, Raises Admission Age to 30 The Maharashtra government has revised its rules governing students residing in government tribal hostels, removing restrictions that previously barred them from participating in protests, hunger strikes, or approaching media with grievances. The state’s tribal development department also raised the maximum age for hostel admission from 26 to 30 years. These changes, announced in a revised government resolution (GR) issued on August 14, mark a significant shift from the earlier rules that had imposed strict limitations on student activism. The original restrictions, outlined in Appendix D Clause 22 of the rules issued on August 5, required hostel residents to first submit grievances in writing to wardens or hostel heads. They also prohibited students from joining organizations, organizing hunger strikes or protests, contacting the media over complaints, forming groups against the administration, or encouraging strikes. These provisions sparked widespread opposition, particularly among tribal students who viewed the restrictions as oppressive and stifling their right to voice concerns. The backlash led to a sit-in by hundreds of Scheduled Tribe (ST) students outside the office of the additional commissioner for tribal development in Nagpur. Following sustained protests and student objections, the department initiated consultations with representatives from all four additional commissioner jurisdictions. These discussions culminated in the issuance of the revised GR on August 14, which effectively removed the earlier restrictions. The new rules end after Clause 12, eliminating the contentious provisions from the previous version.#nagpur #maharashtra_government #tribal_development_department #scheduled_trIBE_students #additional_commissioner_nagpur
