What is the Scheme for Working Hostel Women?

It’s a government initiative to provide safe and affordable housing with daycare facilities for working women away from home.

Who can apply for this scheme?

Married, unmarried, or widowed working women, with special preferences for disadvantaged or physically challenged individuals. Working mothers can stay with their children.

How do you apply for the scheme?

Check the list of hostels, visit them, and submit the application form to the hostel committee after verifying eligibility.

How safe is the SMC working women's hostel?

SMC working women’s hostels generally have security guards, CCTV surveillance, entry registers, and wardens, making them reasonably safe for residents.

What are the benefits of the scheme?

Subsidised rent, daycare facilities at minimal charges, and a safe living environment.

How is rent calculated?

Up to 15% of the gross salary for single rooms, 10% for double rooms, 7.5% for dormitories, and 5% for daycare facilities. Extra charges apply for mess and other services.

Can I sleep with my boyfriend in a hostel?

Most working women hostels do not allow overnight stays of male visitors due to safety rules and hostel regulations. Policies may vary slightly by hostel authority.

When was the working women hostel facility started?

The Working Women Hostel Scheme was launched in 1972 by the Government of India to support women’s participation in education and employment.

What is the new scheme for women in 2025?

In 2025, women-centric initiatives continue to focus on financial inclusion, skill development, entrepreneurship, and safety, building upon existing flagship schemes rather than replacing them entirely.

How to earn money in a hostel?

Women staying in hostels can earn money through freelancing, online tutoring, content writing, digital marketing, handicrafts, or part-time remote work.

Who is eligible for mahila samman yojana?

Mahila Samman Yojana is aimed at adult women residents of India, especially to promote financial security and savings, subject to scheme-specific conditions.

How to start a ladies hostel?

To start a ladies hostel, one must arrange suitable premises, obtain local municipal permissions, ensure safety measures, and comply with state hostel or lodging regulations.

What is the Modi scheme for working women?

Under the Modi government, schemes like the Working Women Hostel Scheme, PM Mudra Yojana, and Skill India support employment, safety, and entrepreneurship for working women.

What do hostel workers do?

Hostel workers manage daily operations, including security, maintenance, food services, cleanliness, admissions, and resident support under the supervision of wardens.

What are the 5 women empowerment schemes?

Major women empowerment schemes include Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Working Women Hostel Scheme, PM Mudra Yojana, Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana, and Mission Shakti.

How to earn money in a hostel?

Women staying in hostels can earn money through freelancing, online tutoring, content writing, digital marketing, handicrafts, or part-time remote work.

How to earn money in a hostel?

Women staying in hostels can earn money through freelancing, online tutoring, content writing, digital marketing, handicrafts, or part-time remote work.

Jaagruk Bharat is a private organization offering support for documentation and government scheme access. We are not affiliated with any government body. Official services are available on respective government portals. Our goal is to make processes easier and more accessible for citizens.

Home

Blogs

About Us

Schemes

Services

Working Women Hostel Scheme Providing Safe Housing For Women

Q: What is the working women hostel scheme?

The Working Women Hostel Scheme is a government initiative to provide safe and affordable accommodation to working women, students, and trainees away from their hometowns.

Pragya Pathak

Author

Updated: 18-12-2025 at 3:30 PM

The Government of India has put forward several schemes to empower the working women of our nation and help balance their professional and personal responsibilities. One of the most notable schemes that comes under this is the Working Women Hostel Scheme.

Through this initiative, the government aims to promote safe and reliable stay options and provide daycare facilities for female employees who stay away from home. The Working Hostel Women Scheme was launched in 1972 but has evolved with multiple reforms. The hostels under this scheme are constructed across various states of India, such as Govt Working Women's Hostel in Delhi, which people can search for by typing and searching, ‘Working hostel women scheme near me’.

Read the article to learn more about the government scheme for women, ranging from its meaning and benefits to eligibility criteria and application process.

Overview

The table below summarises some key details about the women's welfare scheme that people should know.

Name of the scheme	Working Women Hostel Scheme
Working Women Hostel Scheme year	1972
Objective	To provide safe and reliable stay options and provide daycare facilities for female employees who stay away from home
Mode of application	Offline

What Is The Working Women Hostel Scheme?

The Working Women Hostel Scheme is a welfare scheme launched by the government of India under the supervision of the Ministry of Women and Child Development. The Working Women Hostel Scheme year was back in 1972. The primary aim of the government welfare scheme for women is to construct and provide hostel facilities to working women who are away from their hometowns due to personal reasons, like jobs, education, etc.

Through the scheme, women can opt for and stay in safe accommodation options and continue their work or education in places away from their hometowns. One should also know that this scheme gives priority to certain classes of women, such as widowed, divorced, women from poor economic backgrounds, and women working in the unorganised sector, as they are the ones in need of this facility.

Objectives Of The Working Women Hostel Scheme

The key objective of these schemes is to provide housing for working women all over India. Apart from that, it also has other objectives, such as:

Aims to nurture an environment that is safe and convenient for working women and provide facilities for their children, if they have so.
To provide accommodation services in places where employment opportunities for women exist, be it rural, urban, or semi-urban.
Make hostels a necessity for all working women without any segregation.
Provide a safe and viable option for staying for women who undergo training for certain jobs.

Also Read: Learn About The Women Helpline Scheme And How It Is Empowering Women Of India!

Benefits Of The Working Women Hostel Scheme

The Working women Hostel scheme comes along with a range of benefits for its beneficiaries. Some of the key benefits are mentioned below for one’s better understanding of the scheme:

One of the major benefits that women can enjoy through this government scheme is the facility of living in hostels that are safe and secure. This takes one of the major worries of women who are living in non-familiar places, away from their hometowns and families, due to various personal reasons, like jobs, education, etc.
The hostels under this scheme are constructed across various states of India, such as the Working hostel women scheme in Delhi. The government is working on constructing these hostels in as many states as possible so that women can travel freely and shift easily without worrying about safe accommodation options.
The hostel facilities provided under this government scheme are extremely affordable and subsidised by the government so that women from all classes, irrespective of their economic backgrounds, can reap the benefits of this scheme.
Through this scheme, the government encourages women to leave their hometowns and shift to other states and cities to develop their personal lives without worrying about their safety.

Who Are Eligible To Apply For This Scheme?

Interested individuals are required to fulfil all the eligibility criteria to start applying for this women's welfare scheme. The criteria are as follows for one’s better understanding:

Working women, be they married, unmarried, or widowed, are eligible to apply.
Special preferences are given to women coming from disadvantaged sections of society who are working at the time of application.
Housing reservations are also made for physically challenged individuals specifically.
Working mothers can stay in the housing provided by the scheme along with their children. Girls up to the age of 18 and boys up to the age of 5 are allowed to accompany them during their stay.

How To Apply For The Working Women Hostel Scheme?

The application process for this government scheme is completely offline, and therefore, one needs to submit the form physically to the concerned government office. The offline application process is laid out below in a stepwise manner for one’s better understanding:

Step 1: Please begin by checking the list of all hostels currently under this scheme via the link provided here.

Step 2: Request an application form from the hostel that you chose or download it from the state government’s Women and Child Development Department.

Step 3: Fill out the application form and attach all the required documents.

Step 4: Recheck the filled information in the application form and then submit the form at the office itself.

Step 5: The hostel management will verify the details of the applicant, post which, women can start living in the hostel.

Please note that interested applicants can also visit the hostels physically to check out the amenities and comfort.

What Are The Documents Required For The Working Women Hostel Scheme?

Eligible individuals interested in applying for the scheme need to submit some supporting documents as well. The list of those documents is as follows:

Aadhaar card
Proof of employment or admission
Domicile certificate
Income certificate
Self-declaration

Eligible Agencies Under The Working Women Hostel Scheme

Agencies or organisations, or institutions that can apply for the working women hostel scheme and start running hostels under the scheme are mentioned below:

State agencies
Urban local bodies
Educational institutions
NGOs with a positive reputation for issues that concern women.

Rent For Women Under The Working Women Scheme

The rent for housing under this scheme is calculated as on the salary that the women residing there receive. The rent is as follows:

A maximum of 15% of the total gross salary is taken as rent for rooms with a single bed.
A maximum of 10% of the total gross salary is taken as rent for rooms with a double bed.
For dormitory facilities, a maximum of only 7.5% of the total gross salary is taken as rent.
Daycare facilities rent a maximum of 5% of the woman’s gross salary.
The rent for the rooms and dormitories is exclusive of the mess and other facilities like washing machines, for which the residents are charged extra.

Conclusion

By providing affordable accommodation to working women, the Scheme for Working Hostel Women helps the women face fewer challenges as they continue to work. The safe housing provided allows more females to consider working away from home to build their professional careers without having to sacrifice their needs. This scheme helps empower thousands of women across India to take up new opportunities in life and not back off because of safety issues.

Stay updated with Jaagruk Bharat to get the latest information on government schemes and more, and reach out to us via our community page if you have any questions or want to share your thoughts.

Frequently Asked Questions