JNU Panel Suggests Partial Rollback of Fee Hike

The JNU High-Level Committee has recommended 50% reduction in service and utility charges for all students.

Protests at JNU over the hike in hostel fees. Image used for representation.

(Photo: PTI)

The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Monday, 25 November, agreed to release Rs 6.41 crore to Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), in order to help them tide over the financial crunch that has led to the hostel fee hike, reported The Indian Express.

However, the High-Level Committee (HLC) set up by the JNU has recommended only 50% reduction in service and utility charges for all students. These elements, however, are not part of the hostel fee.

The committee has also recommended 75% reduction in these charges for Below Poverty Line (BPL) students, the Registrar said in a circular on Monday, reported the newspaper.

This means that the JNU Students Union’s (JNUSU) call for complete rollback has not yet been accepted.

Students Slam Appointment of HLC

The appointment of the HLC was criticised by the varsity's students' union who said the "so called committee" of the JNU administration is timed before the high-powered committee appointed by the HRD ministry gives its recommendations, they said.

“The level of shamelessness with this administration continues to rise wherein the mail has not been sent to the JNUSU even as government appointed committees find it common sense to recognise the legitimacy of the elected union,” they said.

The students have been on strike for nearly four weeks against the draft hostel manual, which has provisions for fee hike, a new dress code and curfew timings.

Following protests, the varsity had announced a "partial" rollback and removal of clauses pertaining to the dress code and curfew but the students dubbed it as an "eyewash". They have been demanding a complete " rollback" of the manual.

(With inputs from PTI, The Indian Express, ANI)