On Wednesday, the Chintabar collective at the Indian Institute of Technology - Madras (IIT-Madras) staged a protest over hostel fee concerns. The students wrote to Director V Kamakoti and the Dean of Students, responding to threats from the Council of Wardens (CCW) of mess registration cancellations due to unpaid hostel fees.
The students were also notified of a block on mess allotment from Jan 17 to Feb 15, due to outstanding hostel dues. A PhD scholar who is a member of the IIT-Madras’s students’ organisation, Chintabar, expressed discontent.
“The mess allocation was suddenly cancelled and these students were denied food in the morning. This was like questioning the basic integrity of the students, which we protested”, the scholar who didn’t wish to be named, told The Free Press Journal (FPJ).
He complained about the food and water quality concerns also. He alleged that the water purifier was not working and the quality of the food served to the students was not good.
In response, the administration allowed monthly payments for mess fees instead of the previously required advance payment. The Director also expressed a willingness to reconsider the new research credit courses based on scholars’ input.
The scholar informed the FPJ that the major demands of the students, including immediate mess allocation, an apology from CCW, permission to pay hostel fees in instalments, and the revocation of new PhD/MS research credit courses were addressed. Additional concerns about the quality of food and drinking water facilities in the hostel zone were also acknowledged.
Following these discussions, the administration assured students that mess allocation would be completed by the end of the day. CCW also issued an apology letter to all students who received the initial communication.
The administration committed to open house discussions on the raised issues and a Student Senate Council (SSC) meeting to hold individuals accountable for addressing concerns. The protest has now been concluded, marking a temporary resolution to the grievances raised by the students at IIT Madras.
The FPJ reached out to IIT Madras for a comment but the officials did not immediately respond.
