Sun Rises On Branded Co-Living

A clutch of startups is giving the staid world of hostels and PGs a modern makeover with their concept of branded student housing and co-living to cater to the needs of the millennial generation

- Ashish Sinha

Last month, Rohit’s dream of staying on campus suffered a setback. He had scored in the high 90s and managed to get admission in Delhi University’s Hans Raj College on North Campus, but failed to make it to the shortlist for limited hostel accommodation. Hailing from Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh, Rohit (name changed) was left with no option but to scout for a suitable place to stay. As he went from one paying guest accommodation to another, he stumbled upon an affordable student PG run by OxfordCaps near his college.

What Rohit saw left him pleasantly surprised. Tastefully designed corridors and interiors; gleaming floors and walls; rooms with a bed, study table and cupboard, attached bathroom, single or shared occupancy, cooler and AC option; gym, play zone, high-speed broadband, professional laundry; four meals. All these for a monthly fee he could easily afford. Rohit signed up immediately.

Welcome to the world of branded student housing that has been conceived keeping in mind the needs of the millennials. These PGs are a world apart from the age-old dilapidated hostels and ubiquitous bursitis – usually one large room with a bathroom on the rooftop – that landlords let out. They are reasonably priced to suit the pockets of both students and professionals and charge a monthly fee of Rs 5,000 to Rs 25,000 depending on the city and location, single or shared occupancy. Some of these PGs even offer a free subscription of Netflix, Amazon and other OTT platforms, besides a 24-hour canteen/café. Inmates are not allowed to cook, though.