Students called off their protest at Panjab University on Monday as the university, deferred the implementation of fee hike for now and referred it to the fee committee for consideration.
Earlier this month, the university had notified 10% fee hike in regular courses and 20% fee hike in self finance courses for the first year students of the university. The fee announced had to be paid by November 30. Now, the students will have to pay previous fee by November 30.
"The implantation of revised fee structure has been referred to the fee committee of the university. After examination, the committee's recommendation will go to university syndicate. For now, the students will pay the previous fees, which was being charged prior to fee increase," Dean Student Welfare, Navdeep Goyal told students after a meeting of top university officials on Sunday noon, on the issue adding that final decision on the issue has to be taken by university syndicate. The meeting was chaired by dean university instructions, Madhu Raka. The committee was constituted by the PU vice- chancellor, A K Grover.
Following the university decision, the students called off their strike on the fourth day but warned, "If the decision in the next syndicate meeting does not come in favour of the students, the protest will again be started at a larger level after mobilising all the university students" added Students for Society, General Secretary, Sachinderpal.
{{/usCountry}}Following the university decision, the students called off their strike on the fourth day but warned, "If the decision in the next syndicate meeting does not come in favour of the students, the protest will again be started at a larger level after mobilising all the university students" added Students for Society, General Secretary, Sachinderpal.
{{/usCountry}}Many were surprised to see university's decision on Monday as on Sunday, the university had justified the fee hike and termed the strike as unjustified.
The response of the university has also exposed cracks in the university, many were asking as to why top officials failed to act in time and fees for both the semesters were clubbed together, which resulted in students making a big issue out of it.
"The fee for the first semester should have been taken during the first semester only. By doing so the university will save itself from the embarrassment and students should not have got the chance to oppose the move," a senior official said that in the current scenario it was extremely important for the university to pass on the burden to the students as university finances were in shambles.