PSU protests against fee hike, submits 10-point memo to PU

The key demands submitted to PU administration include roll back of fee hike for academic session 2026-27, scraping the university policy enforcing an annual 5%–7.5% fee hike, ban fee increase for students during ongoing courses, among others

Punjab Students Union (Lalkaar) on Tuesday held a protest against fee hike outside the vice-chancellor’s office.The students have submitted a ten points memorandum to Panjab University administration.

Members of PSU Lalkaar, along with other students, protest against the fee hike at the main gate of the Panjab University V-C’s office on Tuesday. (HT Photo)

The key demands submitted to PU administration include roll back of fee hike for academic session 2026-27, scraping the university policy enforcing an annual 5%–7.5% fee hike, ban fee increase for students during ongoing courses, among others.

In its statement, PSU lalkaar said ‘In the University Institute of Legal Studies (UILS) department, first-year fee have jumped from ₹1,17,555 to ₹1,25,055, while fifth-year fee rose from ₹1,42,885 to ₹1,52,000. Privatisation policies are eating away our 144-year-old Panjab University like termites. As in previous years, tuition fees for several courses have been hiked yet again. The administration is leaving no stone unturned to fleece students, particularly through self-financed programs.’

At University Institute of Engineering and Technology (UIET), first-year and fifth-year fee have risen from ₹1,29,355 to ₹1,36,855 and from ₹1,49,745 to ₹1,58,380, respectively.

Other departments—such as pharmacy, dental sciences, physics electronics, BA, BEd, and MBA—have witnessed average fee hike of 30% over the last four years, alleged students.

In 2023, the administration implemented a policy capping annual hikes at 5% (up to ₹1,000) for traditional courses and 7.5% (up to ₹7,500) for self-financed courses, to which the students have constantly been opposing.