Protest over proposed fee hike: BHU panel to look into demands of students

Education


More than two weeks after the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) launched protests at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) against a proposed hike in the fee structure, the varsity administration has formed a panel to look into the issues raised by the students.

The committee will be chaired by Prof Yashwant Singh, Director, Institute of Agricultural Sciences.

The two outfits – RSS’ students wing ABVP and Congress’ NSUI – have, however, said that they will continue with the protests with the ABVP saying that the committee has been formed to “mislead the students”.

“Banaras Hindu University has formed a panel to look into the issues raised by some students through their representations regarding the proposed fee structure in some programmes from academic session 2022-23 onwards. The university has time and again stated that no revision has been made effective for the current students of BHU and they will continue to pay the existing fee till their course of study is completed. The new structure is only applicable to the candidates taking admission in academic session 2022-23 onwards,” said the varsity in a statement on Tuesday.

“However, some students have approached the administration and made representations regarding the proposed fee structure and hostel charges. In light of these representations, Vice-Chancellor Prof Sudhir Kumar Jain has constituted a committee to look into these issues,” the statement read.

Campus secretary of ABVP’s BHU unit Puneet Mishra said the ABVP doesn’t want to hold any discussions with the committee behind closed doors.

“The committee has been formed to mislead students. What is the point of the committee? They say they will hold talks. We have already given all details regarding the fee hike. What is there to ask now? The committee has been formed to pressure students in different ways. If they want to talk to us, they should come to the protest spot,” said Mishra.

ABVP has been protesting against the proposed fee hike for more than two weeks inside the BHU campus.

NSUI’s BHU unit president Rana Rohit said the organisation’s protest was currently on hold, but will resume as soon as students return to campus after the festive season.

“Once the students come back, we will restart the demonstration and it will be stronger than earlier,” said Rohit.

Talking about the panel formed by the varsity, Rohit said, “This committee has been formed after the BHU administration is already taking revised and increased fees from undergraduate students. When will they submit the report? The committee has been formed over fears that the movement against the fee hike is becoming stronger.”

Earlier in October, BHU had maintained that the proposed fee hike would not impact the current batches studying at the varsity, and the decision to implement a “nominal increase” was taken before the academic session 2019-20 started.

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