i don't know abt oder hostels. i think difft hostels hav difft rules. wen i was living in hostel during my gradun & PG in a univ.we cud call @ home as many times from LL( as those times mobiles were not much in use or rather mobiles were just launched ) we can but we've 2 enter the details like date,time , durn etc. then on that basis we got phone bills added in our mess bills.and at one time we cud call only for 6mins so that oder gals cud also call or there may not b any hinderance in incuming calls.and the gals who wanted 2 call 2 their BFs they've 2 use anoder phone & cud talk as much as they can.😆 we(gals) cud go 2 city twice a week 4 shopping or outing as our univ. was in rural area & abt 13 KMs from the city but had 2 cum back by 8PM wen our last univ bus'd reached at campus.tho we cud go 2 city more than twice a week also but then we'd 2 cum back by 7 or 7.30 PM acc. 2 winter & summer hostel entrance timings .
and mobiles were allowed but they were not much common. only few wud'd mobiles.
but @ my sis hostel during her MBBS study they've mobiles & were allowed 2 keep & talk & no such checking of bags were carried out.and @ my sis hostel they were allowed 2 cum back till 9 PM as their college was in main city.