New Delhi
Hundreds of students, teachers and citizens took to Delhi’s streets on Saturday afternoon to protest against the hostel fee hike in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and demand affordable education.
Students from Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi University, Ambedkar University, Ashoka University, and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences students’ association joined rank with JNU students in protesting against the hostel fee hike in the varsity.
A committee appointed by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development is set to submit its report on Jawaharlal Nehru University fee hike by Monday, after rounds of consultation with teachers and students.
The three-member committee, including former UGC chairman VS Chauhan, AICTE chairman Anil Sahasrabudhe and UGC secretary Rajnish Jain, held its last meeting on Friday with students’ representatives in the university’s administration block — where students have been protesting for weeks. During the consultation process, the committee also met deans and teachers’ representatives.
Former JNU students like Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid, several parliamentarians and civil society activists were also present at the march, which began from Mandi House and culminated at Parliament Street.
{{/usCountry}}Former JNU students like Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid, several parliamentarians and civil society activists were also present at the march, which began from Mandi House and culminated at Parliament Street.
{{/usCountry}}“The government is trying to mislead the public by using the 2016 sedition case incident and suppress students’ demands. If the taxpayers’ money can be used to build statues and fund foreign trips of our ministers, why can’t it be used for education?” asked Kumar, a former JNU student leader.
Following protests by JNU students, the administration had announced a 50% hostel fee concession for students from Below Poverty Line category — a move rejected by JNU students’ union.
Shivam Aggarwal, a third-year undergraduate student of computer science at Delhi University, who attended the protest, said, “If we create different fee structures, there will be inequality. If the government and administration have managed to find funds till now, they can manage it later too, if they have the intention.” He added that he wanted to pursue his masters from JNU since it was an affordable premier institute.
Cutting across party lines, members of Bhim Army, students’ groups of Left parties, Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, and Rashtriya Janata Dal participated in the march. Addressing the students, Congress leader and Dalit rights activist Udit Raj, who is an alumnus of JNU, said, “I am from a marginalised background. But no matter who comes to JNU, everybody is treated equal. This is why the government is increasing the fee so that Dalit, SC/ST and OBC students cannot come to JNU.”
Kausar Wizarat, former member of the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration, said she was there to protest the privatisation of education. “If they are successful in implementing a fee hike here, they will do it everywhere,” she said.