Ideaz

One of the biggest challenges faced by students in hostels is managing laundry. Washing machines are shared by dozens of students, which often leads to conflicts, wasted time, and frustration. Students wait in long queues, only to find machines occupied, clothes left unattended, or their turn skipped. This everyday struggle adds unnecessary stress to hostel life, especially when time is already tight with academic commitments.

Who benefits?

This solution benefits students by reducing waiting time and ensuring fair access to washing machines. It also helps hostel administrators, as it minimizes complaints, improves machine usage efficiency, and reduces maintenance issues caused by misuse. In the bigger picture, the entire student community benefits from a more organized and stress-free system.

Why this problem matters to me

I have personally faced situations where I had to wait hours to do my laundry, only to find the machine already occupied or my clothes misplaced. Such small inefficiencies, when repeated, cause stress and reduce productivity. Since hostel life is already demanding, solving this issue would directly improve daily convenience and peace of mind.

Technical details

The Smart Laundry Management System (SLMS) would be a mobile/web app linked with hostel washing machines. Students can book laundry slots in advance, receive notifications when their turn arrives, and even get alerts if a machine becomes available earlier. The system can use IoT sensors to track machine availability, and a QR code or RFID-based login to prevent misuse. A simple database backend would manage booking schedules, while push notifications ensure smooth communication.

By combining digital booking with smart monitoring, this system offers a simple yet effective way to solve a real-world problem in hostels.

Real-World Problem

In hostels, delivery personnel are usually restricted to the main gate. Students are forced to walk down every time they order food, parcels, or essentials, which disrupts their schedules and becomes especially inconvenient during exams, late hours, or bad weather.

Gaps in Current Solutions/Market

The current system only ensures delivery up to the gate. Students sometimes depend on friends or hostel staff, but this is unreliable and inconsistent. No structured, consistent last-mile service exists to bridge the gap between the gate and the resident’s door.

Who Benefits

• Students → Save time and effort, enjoy greater convenience.

• Delivery Agents → No waiting at hostel gates, quicker turnover.

• Hostel Management → Reduced crowding and smoother entry logistics.

• Community → More organized, efficient, and secure delivery ecosystem inside hostels.

Why This Problem Matters to Me

As a student, I have personally faced the frustration of leaving my work, studies, or rest just to collect a delivery at the gate. A gate-to-door service would eliminate this hassle and significantly improve hostel life.

Technical Details

The service can be implemented through:

• A verified in-hostel delivery network (authorized students or staff).

• Integration with delivery apps (Swiggy, Zomato, Blinkit, Amazon) to reroute orders at the gate.

• Smart lockers at gates for secure temporary storage.

• Digital tracking system to monitor in-hostel movement of deliveries.

• Secure QR/OTP-based handovers for trust and transparency.

• Small service fee via UPI/wallets to sustain operations.

Every one of us has faced inconveniences during our hostel stay. It could have been roommate issues, noisy neighbours, or maintenance troubles. Today, I want to offer a solution to at least one of these problems.

When I moved into the hostel, my cupboard came with a very rusty closet rod. As someone with very sensitive skin, I started getting rashes as the rust fell on my clothes. Sharing bathroom stalls with dozens of people can be frustrating, especially when cleaning or repairs take longer than expected. Like many others, I quickly discovered that maintenance issues - from broken fixtures to leaky pipes - can become a daily inconvenience when repairs aren’t addressed promptly. 

We did have a solution: A physical complaint register. We had to fill it up if we had any problems, and the warden would then place a request with the repairman to fix the issue.

The existing solution, however, came with its own set of challenges. Firstly, we had no idea when the repairman would come to fix an issue. This left room for embarrassing moments like plumbers walking into the bathroom while it was in use, or carpenters entering rooms while students were changing.

These are very common issues for people living in hostel accommodations. Many have even come to see these “minor inconveniences” as a normal part of hostel life. Funnily enough, all of these inconveniences can be resolved with a very simple solution: an app.

On this app, students will be able to directly report their concerns and upload pictures with a description of their issue. The repairman will instantly be notified of the issue, eliminating the middleman communication that causes delays. But where does AI come into play here? We can smartly implement an AI to optimise the repairman’s schedule, minimizing the number of trips he needs to make. The schedule can be made publicly visible, giving everyone an exact time of when said issue will be resolved while preventing embarrassing moments for all parties. The AI model can also be used to organise the tasks based priority with higher priority issues being pushed up. This also helps out the wardens and other support staff who would otherwise have to manually categorise all these tasks.

A simple app like this can have a huge impact on one’s hostel stay. It is not just a solution for the residents, but improves the lives of the repairmen, the wardens, the cleaners and all the staff involved in hostel maintenance.