India, Sept. 9 -- Most victims of the building collapse in Delhi on Sunday were students from far-off places, enrolled in the city's higher education institutions (HEIs), including Delhi University (DU). And this tragedy, like the many others the city has seen, is a manifestation of the gulf between what the future - in this case, students moving to the Capital to secure an education - needs and what the present provides.

There are more than 250,000 students enrolled in the conventional mode in DU, and at least half are from other states. Their pursuit of a promising future rests on being able to find accommodation, food, and transport options within their budgets, with on-campus hostels and dormitories being the most preferred option. B...