Hostel Life:

Hostel life is an integral part of the Deemed University’s academic programme, and hostel stay is therefore compulsory for all students admitted to the Institute. Hostel life revolves basically around 3 D's - Discipline, Duty and Devotion.

The Sri Sathya Sai System of Integral Education mirrors to a large extent the tried and tested Gurukula system of education of which the Hostel forms a critical cog. The Hostel buildings are architectural marvels resembling a temple and thus creating the noble ambience for students to live an ideal life. The philosophy of the Sri Sathya Sai Hostels is based on the approach of community living wherein each one lives for the other and all live for God. Students hailing from different states of India, diverse cultures and varied economic and financial backgrounds live in dormitory styled accommodation with 10-14 students staying together in a room.

The Pan Indian character of the Deemed University comes alive in the Hostel. The Hostel is a miniature model of the world outside with people of different habits, temperaments, living style, language and outlook staying together and working. This develops the qualities of understanding and adjustment and sharing and caring amongst the students. It nurtures virtues like adaptability, tolerance and sacrifice developing students into noble and responsible citizens.  The Chancellor states, “The medium of instruction in this Institute is discipline. Love, Service and Sadhana (spiritual practice) are the first, second and third languages.” This gets actually translated into action in the life at the Hostel.

The Hostel is a self sufficient unit housing all the basic necessities of the students. This enables minimal movement of students outside the Hostel premises. To minimize the possible external negative influences, the students are encouraged to read only inspiring literature, listen to elevating music and view meaningful audio visuals. In keeping with the spiritual ambience of the Hostel, the students consume Satwik, vegetarian and nutritious food prepared by service-oriented people.

Hostel Facilities:

Medical facilities: There is a well-equipped dispensary under the care of a medical practitioner. The Sathya Sai Medical Trust also runs a fully fledged General and Super Specialty Hospital whose services are available to all including the students free of charge.

Multi-purpose Hall: The hostel has a large hall, which is used for various purposes. It serves as a Dining Hall, Prayer Hall as well as a Performance Hall for various extra-curricular and co-curricular activities of the hostel.

Hostel Mess: The hostel mess caters to the food and nutritional requirements of the students. They are served a well-balanced and vegetarian diet along with milk. The menu for all meal sessions is changed regularly to provide variety and wholesome nourishment. The kitchen is well maintained to ensure high standards of hygiene. It is also well furnished with modem cooking equipments.

For Prasanthi Nilayam Hostel only, SBI Challan Form with Instructions have been provided for Students/Parents to complete the necessary formalities

Sick-ward pantry: There is also a separate sick-ward pantry to prepare special diets as per doctor's advice for students, not keeping good health.

Other in-house facilities: Apart from the above-mentioned facilities, the hostel has a number of other in-house services to make the stay of the students at the hostel a pleasant experience.

 They include:

1. A general store stocking every possible item, from pencils and pins to buckets and bags, as may be required by the students.
2. A library and reading room with a variety collection of general knowledge and children story books apart from comics and other light reading material.
3. A computer room with Internet connectivity and multimedia facility with restricted access.
4. Intercom Facility connected to every room for incoming calls and centralised STD facility for outgoing calls.
5. For artistically inclined students, the hostel has ample facilities to pursue their interests of painting, drawing, etc. in their leisure time.
6. Extensive facilities for outdoor games and sports as described elsewhere is also available
7. The students can also use the well equipped International Sports Centre for health and recreational purposes 

Spirit of Self-Reliance and Self-Reliance Departments

One of the most unique features of Sri Sathya Sai Hostels is that the functioning of the Hostel is entirely by the students and resident staff members. The guiding principles of the Hostel are a simple life coupled with self-reliance. The students do their own work themselves without dependence on any external agencies. To inculcate dignity of labour and respect for work, all functions and departments of the Hostel are run by students under the able guidance of resident faculty.

The departments include Hostel Maintenance (electrical, carpentry, plumbing), General Stores ( providing daily needs in-house), Dispensary (providing paramedical and first aid assistance to doctors), Kitchen (designing menu and handling catering services), Dietics (providing food for the sick students), Fruit and Snacks Stall, Bakery, Hostel Library, Hostel Computer Centre, Photocopying Services, Reverse Osmosis Water Plant Maintenance, General Health and Hygiene, Arts and Crafts, Multimedia and Audio Visuals (providing in-house entertainment and preparing special audio visual documents of the students’ cultural programmes), Hostel Publications (publishing books on various aspects relating to the education system and interactions and messages of the Chancellor), Tutorials (wherein senior students assist the junior students in their academic work), Transport Services for emergency purposes, Landscaping, Training in Panchavadyam and Nadaswaram (traditional Indian music played during Indian festivals), University Brass Band , Costumes , Spiritual Activities (organizing mass prayers for special festivals and conducting traditional Indian rituals to upkeep the traditional Indian culture and heritage) and many others.

These self-reliance activities enable students to become self-confident and independent and also contribute to leadership and entrepreneurial development. The unique feature of these self-reliance departments is the aspect of continuity in spite of batches of students leaving every year. This is facilitated through an effective succession planning in the traditional Gurukula style; wherein the senior students train their junior successors before they move out.
 

Daily Routine at the Hostels

The daily routine at the Sri Sathya Sai Hostels is so designed that students are kept engaged in constructive and productive activities throughout the day leaving no scope for idle time.

A brief overview of a typical day at the Sri Sathya Sai Hostel is given here .

The day starts at 5 am with a wake up bell accompanied by inspiring music played on the Hostel music system designed indigenously by the students. The students arise from bed and after their ablutions assemble in the Hostel prayer hall for the Morning Prayer from 5.20 am to 5.45 am. This is followed by physical exercise/yogasanas/jogging/games/gymnastics at the Sri Sathya Sai International Centre for Sports or the Sri Sathya Sai International Cricket Stadium until 7 am. During this time period, coaching classes for music, band, traditional instrumental music like Panchavadyam and Nadaswram and also Vedic chanting are conducted. Students can participate in any of the physical activities based on their preferences and interests. Bath and breakfast follows after which students head for the College at 8 am. During every dining session in the Hostel, students commence their eating with a common prayer inculcating a sense of gratitude in their hearts. The College commences with community prayer. The classes commence at 8.30 am and continue till 2.30 pm with a lunch break from 11.20 am to 12.20 pm.

After a short tea break at 3 pm, the students move to the Ashram for participation in congregational chanting, singing and other spiritual activities. These also include talks by eminent speakers on a variety of spiritual topics and also interactions with the Chancellor of the University. The students return to the Hostel at 6 pm and engage themselves in games, library, computer laboratory facilities, self reliance department work or personal studies as per the need. On certain days, subject experts address the students of various faculties on the latest developments in their fields of studies.

Dinner is served at the Hostel between 7.15 – 8 pm after which the students are expected to devote themselves to their academic studies until 10 pm. The day ends with a night prayer wherein students keeping with the spiritual ambience of the Hostel environment, engage in self introspection and self audit to better themselves.

The busy routine as detailed above indicates that all aspects of the students’ personality are catered to. It also trains them in time management, enhances their skill sets, fuels their latent talent and creativity and channelises it into productivity activities.

Code of Conduct and Regulations

A cultured Code of Conduct is a time-honoured and long cherished tradition of the hostel. Every student is exhorted to observe the rules and regulations whole­heartedly and in right spirit.

1. Each student is expected to practice obedience and reverence to teachers and elders sincerely. Mutual courtesy and gentlemanly behaviour also is important as it promotes peace and harmony among the students.

2. Students are expected to wear decent and unostentatious dresses (white pant and white shirts) and maintain short and well-groomed hairstyle. Students are not supposed to sport moustache, beard and long side burns.

3. Voluntarily maintaining silence during mass gatherings like assembly, in dining hall, inside classroom, inside Mandir etc. is expected from every student. Indulging in loud talk and idle chat is inexcusably condemned.

4. Punctuality is essential in the disciplined life pattern at the hostel. All students are expected to be in time for all sessions whether in college or in the hostel

5. Leaving the hostel premises for any reason other than attending college and Mandir, without explicit permission from the warden is not encouraged. Overnight stay outside the hostel is forbidden.

6. In the event of a student's presence being absolutely required at home, other than during the vacation, he should furnish the following to the Warden along with the leave application:

a) The requisition letter from the parent.

b) Permission letter from the college authority/the Doctor-in-charge (in case, it is for health reasons). The Warden, then, at his discretion may permit the student to go home and return to the hostel within the stipulated time.

7. Parents/guardians alone are permitted to meet their wards between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Sundays only. No visitor is permitted to meet any student on working days or any other holidays.

8. Personal possession of Iron box, tape recorder or transistor, video games, etc. is not allowed in the hostel.

9. All students are required to maintain high standards of personal cleanliness and room cleanliness as well as the cleanliness of the surroundings.

10. Students are not encouraged to keep any ready cash or valuables with them.

11. Students are expected to write letters once a week to their parents. Any breach of the rules and regulations mentioned above will not be tolerated. The hostel and college authorities reserve the right to expel any student from the hostel and the college at any time of the year if his behaviour is found wanting.