Calcutta University has decided to shift 75 students of a girls’ hostel on Beadon Row in the north of the city after an iron beam came off the ceiling and crashed in a room early on Friday.

Many of the boarders said two students, who lived in the room, had a close shave.

One of the students in room No. 17 of the Ladies PG hostel was in her bed when the iron beam crashed just inches away.

Her roommate was already out of her bed when the incident happened around 5.30am on Friday.

Students have expressed displeasure over being shifted three days before their exams. “This is disrupting our schedule,” a student said.

They also accused CU authorities of ignoring their pleas to repair the 150-year-old hostel.

CU registrar Debasis Das said the hostel is a rented facility.

“We are shifting all the residents to the university’s hostel elsewhere. An engineer has visited the hostel. After necessary assessment, repairing works will be undertaken,” said Das.

A student alleged that they had repeatedly told the office of the university’s board of residence about carrying out the repairing works, but nothing happened.

“Since this is a 150-year-old hostel, there is a need to carry out the maintenance works periodically. But that is not done. This was waiting to happen. The two students had a lucky escape,” said a student.

Another student said: “Just days before the start of the postgraduate semester examination from Tuesday, we are having to pack things and shift elsewhere. Is this the way that a student prepares for the examination? There is a room on the second floor where water seeps. Such seepage weakens the foundation of the beam.”

Abhirup Chakravarti, general secretary of Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad, said: “The incident suggests that the university authorities are insincere about ensuring the safety of the students who reside in hostels.”

Asked about the absence of maintenance, registrar Das said: “Since the hostel is a rented facility, the university cannot carry out repairs without the consent of the owner. We will soon talk to the owner about this.”