On June 25, 2019, an unmarried couple—a boy and a girl—was found in a hotel room with several liquor bottles. The police arrived and sealed off the hotel.
The hotel owner went to court and filed a case. During the hearing, the judge informed the sealing authorities that our country has no such law.
Now, it will not be easy to secure a room at an OYO Hotel. The company has implemented significant changes to its checking policies.
Its policy of welcoming married couples backfired. Stopping the act of having is the only remaining social responsibility.
People are dying from hunger, and children are suffering from malnutrition. Society is regressing.
The same aunties of the colony who became walking and talking CCTVs by the time they reached the age of 40 were once 20 themselves.
Well, this also reflects the harsh reality of our country: as soon as one’s youth ends, everyone in India seems to become a morally corrupt person, while they begin to behave like a saint.
Now, this is the second factor regarding the policy for unmarried couples. Something different was considered, and a different outcome emerged.
Its Story is Quite Interesting.
Please understand this carefully.
A few months ago, residents of Meerut city in Uttar Pradesh, along with several social organizations, filed a petition challenging the policies of OYO.
The petition, submitted by various social organizations, argues that the growing popularity of OYO rooms among unmarried couples is misleading the youth of the country, promoting Western culture in India, and will have negative consequences, proving to be very dangerous for society in the future.
Due to this impact on January 5, 2025, OYO announces that it is changing its policy regarding unmarried couples.
Entry of unmarried couples is prohibited in OYO.
OYO Rooms has announced a new policy stating that unmarried couples will no longer be permitted to book rooms in its hotels.
You will not be granted entry to any hotel rooms or homes associated with this company.
If you wish to enter, you must be married and present your marriage certificate. Please obtain a ticket.
As soon as this announcement was made, the expected reactions from unmarried couples began to emerge.
Many Indian youths have expressed their opposition to this policy. They argue that OYO’s growth has been declining, suggesting that the company has resorted to this marketing tactic solely to remain in the public eye.
Many young people are expressing the belief that this policy will mark the beginning of OYO’s decline, and that no one can prevent OYO from facing significant challenges.
Mixed reactions began to emerge, with some people questioning the need for a married individual to stay at OYO.
Some people have also begun to say that married couples traveling for a trip must carry their marriage certificate if they choose to stay at an OYO hotel.
Now, Indians, being Indians and Indians find a solution for everything.
Now, people are claiming that there is no issue with OYO’s policy regarding unmarried couples; you can book separate single rooms next to each other, and everything is in order.
Now, regardless of the reactions people are expressing, it is important to recognize that there is a significant amount of misinformation surrounding OYO’s latest policy.
It is not only about the OYO policy; there is a significant amount of misinformation regarding hotels for unmarried couples and lovers in our country.
People are often unaware of their basic rights regarding PDA, i.e. Public Display of Affection.
PDA refers to public displays of affection, which include actions such as holding hands, kissing, and other forms of physical interaction with your partner in public, like holding your partner’s hand, kissing your partner, etc.
What are your rights regarding these matters according to the Indian Penal Code?
So, we will gain a clear understanding of OYO’s latest policy, the reasons behind its implementation for unmarried couples,, and the potential impact on OYO’s business.
Along with this, we will also explore whether the police can come and harass you if you are spending time with your partner in a hotel room.
If you are spending time with your partner in a park, a public place, or in a car, the police may approach you and harass you by asking for your parents’ contact information. They might even threaten to send you to jail in an attempt to extort a bribe from you.
Revised OYO Policy
To comprehend the significant shock that unmarried couples have experienced due to the government’s new regulations, it is essential to consider the year 2012, when a 19-year-old named Ritesh Agarwal launched a company called Oravel Stays.
This company, Oravel Stays, founded by Ritesh Agarwal, was loosely inspired by the well-known American company Airbnb, which was launched five years ago in 2007.
The primary objective of Rawal Stays was to list budget hotels and attract customers through the use of technology and the internet.
Ritesh Agarwal’s fortune transformed when he applied for the Thiel Fellowship. In 2013, he became the first Indian to be awarded a Thiel Fellowship, which was valued at $500,000 (approximately ₹60 lakh at that time).
Thiel Fellowship is similar to a scholarship; however, instead of covering college tuition, it provides funding to young Indians, allowing them to forgo college and invest in their business ideas.
This program was initiated by PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, and each year, 30 to 40 children under the age of 23 are selected to participate.
In 2013, following the Thiel Fellowship,
Ritesh Agarwal rebranded Orawel Stage as OYO, leading to the establishment of the OYO company. Today,, after 12 years, OYO is recognized as a hub for unmarried couples.
According to the company, it is an acronym for On Your Own. When Ritesh Agarwal founded this company, his vision was remarkably profound.
Ritesh Agarwal understood that finding and booking a hotel in India is not merely a significant challenge; the real issue lies in securing a quality stay in Indian hotels.
Recognizing a loophole in the quality of accommodations, Ritesh implemented a straightforward business model during the initial years of launching his enterprise.
He would onboard his hotel partners to ensure smooth bookings and provide all essential services, such as running water, air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, clean sheets, and more. In other words, he would personally manage the complete guest experience.
Most importantly, OYO would also handle the marketing for that hotel himself.
The revenue-sharing percentage was structured so that he would retain 20% of the revenue, while the remaining 80% would be allocated to the hotel owner.
Now that all the services of his hotel partners were being improved, he was also conducting promotions for those hotels.
The hotel bookings and the total income for the hotel owners began to increase significantly.
Since the hotel owners were reaping significant benefits, their business began to expand rapidly. In just three years, from 2013 to 2016, they became the largest hotel chain in the country.
It has established its presence in 100 cities and partnered with a total of 5,500 hotels.
Further, observing the rapid growth of this company, investment opportunities began to emerge.
Investment giants like SoftBank Group invested 1.5 billion US dollars in OYO between August 2015 and 2019. In just these four years, this amounts to an investment of approximately 9,000 to 10,000 crores.
However, the growth of OYO did not improve immediately after the investment was received.
Downfall of OYO in Covid-19
When the COVID-19 lockdown was implemented in 2020, the hotel industry experienced significant losses.
Despite facing numerous challenges and policies that led to prolonged losses, OYO finally reported a profit of ₹229 crores in the financial year 2024, marking its first profit after tax.
In this twelve-year journey, filled with ups and downs, two significant factors consistently made it a topic of discussion among young Indians.
The first factor was budget pricing, and the second factor was the policy regarding unmarried couples.
Understand the Primary Factor.
Budget pricing can be illustrated with an example: According to the Ministry of Tourism, in 2021, there were 67.7 crore visitors in total, specifically in the realm of spiritual tourism, generating approximately $8 billion in revenue.
Just like other forms of tourism, young Indians also play a significant role in spiritual tourism.
Students in college or children preparing for competitive exams often form groups to plan visits to hill stations and major temples.
Now, young Indians in this category who have not yet become financially independent mostly rely on pocket money and prefer budget-friendly hotels for their accommodations.
In such a situation,
OYO Rooms has provided support to them over the past several years. By associating OYO Rooms with various unmarried couples, it is evident that hotel rooms priced between ₹1,000 and ₹5,000 have significantly benefited the friends in the group who are yet to be employed.
Now, the second factor is the policy regarding unmarried couples. Although other considerations were initially contemplated, a different outcome emerged.
Its story is very interesting.
Understand this carefully. Just last month, in January 2025, OYO changed its policy. Prior to this change, it was mandatory for all OYO partner hotels in India to allow entry to unmarried couples.
Yes, you must be an adult. OYO Rooms will verify your age using your ID card.
The girl should be at least 18 years old, and the boy should be at least 21 years old.
If you have reached the age of majority, you will have no trouble gaining entry to OYO Hotels.
OYO has transformed this situation into a business opportunity. Many hotels in India deny entry to random couples unless they provide proof of marriage.
Regarding OYO’s policy for unmarried couples, Ritesh Agarwal once publicly addressed this issue.
A few years ago, we had a colleague whose wife had not changed her last name; it remained the same as before.
The hotel owner stated that you are both married. Please present your marriage certificate, and then we will provide you with a check-in.
Many individuals prior to OYO have encountered experiences where they feel judged, stared at, or misunderstood.
According to Ritesh Agarwal, the founder of OYO, the expectation was that OYO hotels would cater to a diverse clientele, including unmarried couples, families, small business meetings, and corporate clients.
The most intriguing aspect of building a business is that the plan you have crafted on paper may not align perfectly with the realities of implementation.
It became evident that OYO’s policy of welcoming unmarried couples had unintended consequences.
2 Factors
Budget-Friendly Hotels and Policies for Unmarried Couples, when you consider these two factors together, it becomes clear what I am trying to convey.
Because of its affordability and its policy of allowing entry to all unmarried couples of legal age, the image of OYO Rooms and Hotels has become that of a budget establishment, often associated with low-quality accommodations and frequent bed sheet changes.
If you are conversing with a friend in a crowded room and you accidentally say the word OYO a bit too loudly, the people around you may glance over, as if you have just uttered something inappropriate or immoral.
That is why some people believe that the recent changes OYO has made to its policy are intended to improve its image.
There is a significant amount of misinformation surrounding OYO’s new policy regarding unmarried couples. In fact, for an extended period, people have been protesting against OYO in various cities, including Meerut.
Such easy access to the hotel was becoming a hub for incidents of excessive drinking, drug-related activities, late-night parties, as well as cases of rape and murder cases.
In fact, in many cases, individuals are bringing prostitutes to OYO hotels and spending time with them. Overall, residents of the nearby colony have expressed concerns that criminal activities are on the rise.
Even schools are being treated like hotels. Children are spending time in these OYO hotels, which is negatively impacting both the local children living nearby and the environment.
OYO Policy Revised only in Meerut
Due to pressure from civil society, OYO revised its policy in Meerut city, Uttar Pradesh.
Keep in mind that the policy banning the entry of unmarried couples has not been implemented throughout India, but only in the city of Meerut. Even there, OYO has made this policy optional.
This means that the decision has been left to OYO’s partner hotels to consider the environment surrounding them.
If the local community does not have an issue, then allow entry to unmarried couples; otherwise, do not permit it.
Simply put, OYO has stated that based on the response it receives in Meerut, it will determine whether to implement this policy in other cities across the country.
It is now clear, even to an illiterate person, that OYO has intentionally made this decision in only one city at this time.
For a city like Meerut, this decision may be advantageous for OYO; however, in metropolitan areas such as Delhi, and if OYO were to implement a similar decision in Mumbai or popular hill stations, it could incur significant losses.
Unmarried couples residing in tier one and tier two cities are significantly contributing to OYO’s business growth.
People are viewing this as a marketing stunt because they believe that this was made solely to alter change the perception, now we are no longer a hotel chain catering to couples, but instead transitioning to becoming an establishment. chain.
By the way, following OYO’s announcement, the youth’s reaction was quite intense.
Some individuals argue that this constitutes a blatant violation of Article 21, which guarantees the constitutional right to life and personal liberty.
Stopping couples from engaging in sexual activity is the only remaining social responsibility. People are dying of hunger, children are suffering from malnutrition, and society is regressing. Even if an is involved in an accident on the.
The suffering animal continues to die in agony while people stand by and watch.
It is acceptable that India is divided into adults and the elderly regarding this issue; however, the most intriguing aspect is how cleverly our legal codes address it.
Look, PDA, or Public Display of Affection, refers to the various ways you can express affection towards your partner in public settings such as parks, malls, shops, and cinemas. Examples of PDA include holding hands, kissing, and hugging.
Section 294 of the Indian Penal Code.
Now, in many parts of the world, public displays of affection (PDA) are legally acceptable. However, in India, there are legal restrictions regarding PDA, as outlined in Section 294 of the Indian Penal Code. This raises the question of whether PDA is permissible in public spaces such as parks, malls, shops, and cinema halls.
Is it legal to kiss in public? Can couples spend time together in parks and cars?
Can anyone come and confront them? It’s important to note that public displays of affection (PDA) are not outright illegal in India.
Mild public displays of affection, such as holding your partner’s hand, giving them a quick hug, or offering a brief kiss on the forehead, are generally not subject to punishment.
But why?
Because all of this demonstrates friendship and caring intentions, it does not reflect healthy intentions. Generally, people in society do not have an issue with this.
However, intimate public displays of affection, such as prolonged kissing or making out, indicate a deeper intention.
It can make those nearby feel unfamiliar or uncomfortable, potentially leading to misunderstandings for small children in the vicinity.
Engaging in such behaviour may be deemed an obscene act under Section 294, and given that intimate public displays of affection (PDA) are considered illegal, you could face legal consequences.
In summary, under Section 294, you will be penalized only when these conditions are met.
The first condition is that you either use an obscene word in public or refrain from doing so. Alternatively, you may have sung an obscene song, engaged in doing an obscene act.
The second condition is that, due to any of these three actions, someone in society has been troubled or disturbed, or it is morally objectionable to the community.
By now, you must understand that the concept of obscenity, as described in Section 294, is highly subjective.
The term the idea that perceptions and opinions can vary from person to person. For example, you may find a particular car to be very beautiful, while I might consider it completely ordinary.
There may be a dog that you find cute, but someone else, like your friend, might not share your opinion and may consider it completely ordinary.
Are the people nearby feeling ashamed?
Is there a harmful impact on the children present nearby?
Are the actions of the person in front driven by lust?
Is the person in front an imperfect character?
But the question arises: if a couple is spending time in an OYO hotel room or any other hotel room, and there is not PDA, the public is not having any objection to their presence, why are there so many cases in India where the police conduct raids and harass these couples? Do the police have the authority to harass couples who are simply present in a hotel?