The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Executive Committee today announced a partial roll-back of the newly proposed hostel fee hike and other stipulations.
No change in mess and utility charges have however been announced in the new fees structure of JNU. The move has not appeased everyone and JNU students are continuing their protests.
Education Secretary, R. Subrahmanyam today took to Twitter to announce the roll-back. The JNU committee has also proposed a scheme for economic assistance for EWS students.
This comes in the wake of massive protest by the JNU students against a new draft hostel manual that has provisions for fee hikes, dress code and curfew timings.
The ongoing protests had turned turned violent with angry students pushing against police personnel in anti-riot gear. The police for their part, employed water cannons to manage the crowd.
The proposed hike would have seen a nearly 999% hike in hostel fees. From Rs. 10 for a twin sharing room and Rs. 20 for a double sharing room, the prices have now been changed to Rs. 300 and 600 respectively.
The one-time refundable mess security deposit charge has also risen greatly, from Rs. 5,500 to Rs. 12,000. Utility charges for electricity and water, which were not taken earlier will now be charged as per usage. Similarly, service charges have also been updated from zero to Rs. 1700 per month (as per actual).
Also read: Rent hike from Rs 10 to Rs 300: What are JNU students protesting?
Earlier today, the students had gathered outside the convention centre on the campus but, to press their demands effectively, shifted their protest to the administration block, which houses the vice-chancellor's office and the office of other senior administration officials, on Wednesday.
As the protests intensified, the university administration had held a meeting of the Executive Council outside the campus fearing disruptions. The Executive Council is the highest decision-making body of the University.
"We have a range of issues, apart from the hostel manual, like the promotion of teachers, so that our views can be raised. For last three-four years, even the Academic Council meetings have been postponed or shifted. We condemn it and the VC should not handle the university like this," JNUTA president, DK Lobiyal said.
"The meeting was supposed to be held at the convention centre inside the campus but when three EC members - professors Sachidanand Sinha, Moushumi Basu and Baviskar Sharad Prahlad - reached the venue, there was no meeting," Lobiyal added.
On Monday, the students had gheraoed AICTE building, the venue for varsity's convocation, during which Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal was stuck for six hours.
(With Agency inputs)
