Panjab University students seek fee concession for EWS candidates amid Covid-19 lockdown

In an online petition, around 500 students have asked the PU administration to either give relief to such candidates or else give them some concession

Days after demanding hostel fee waiver in view of the ongoing coronavirus lockdown, Panjab University (PU) students have urged the varsity authorities not to charge fee from the students of economically weaker section (EWS).

The move comes days after the students sought hostel fee waiver from the university. (HT)

In an online petition, around 500 students have asked the PU administration to either give relief or concession to such candidates. “Nearly 50% students in the university belong to poor and middle classes of the society. As these students do not receive any scholarship, it’ll become stressful for them to pay their fee,” the letter read. The students also said, “Due to the lockdown, there’s no work, no pay and no surety of the jobs too.”

‘VARSITY TO TAKE A CALL LATER’

National Students Union of India (NSUI) president of PU, Nikhil Narmeta, said, “The coronavirus crisis will have a long-term impact on the varsity students financially as most of them belong to middle class and the source of their family income is shut. This will create problem for the students after the university reopens as they will not be in a position to pay their fee.” “The university authorities have replied positively, saying that they will look into the issue once the lockdown is lifted,” he said.

PU advisory committee chairman Navdeep Goyal said, “Right now, we are tackling the day-to-day issues faced by the students. We can decide on this once the university starts functioning again.”

In view of the coronavirus outbreak, PU administration had suspended classwork on March 15.