At the Elphinstone College canteen, everything is served hot, even the cold drinks. The canteen contractors have switched off the mains after receiving a Rs 85,000 electricity bill.

Sources within the college say that when lifts in the college were being repaired during the vacations, the electricity connection was taken from the canteen. A Second Year BSc student said, "The fans are not working and there are no lights."

Said another belonging to the same batch, "Do you want to have a cold drink? You will have to take it hot though. Having it along with vadas and samosas is a good combination."

But that's just one thing students have to face. Some years ago, the girls' common room was made into a godown for the college to dump stuff like benches, cement, etc. The boys have never had a common room and are normally found occupying the stairs. "We need some place to relax. If not the common room, at least the stairs," said an FYBSc student.

Some blackboards cannot be used. An FYBCom student said, "Our accounts and mathematics lectures are taken orally as chalk-marks can't be erased from blackboards." Said another FYBCom student, "Our professor actually reads out balance sheets and we are expected to understand it." Principal Dr N D Pandit, when contacted, said she was too busy and could not speak now.