LSR to extend fee deadline, says will disburse scholarships faster

The college has also agreed to make available the services of two online counsellors for students, throughout the week.

Days after the death by suicide of a Lady Shri Ram College student, who was reportedly struggling to cope with her online education, the college administration has agreed to some of the demands put forward by students who had gathered to protest outside the campus on Thursday morning, including swift disbursal of scholarships and extension of the deadline for fee payment.

It has been a longstanding demand of students to revoke that policy and they reiterated the demand on Thursday as well. (lsr.edu.in)

The college has also agreed to make available the services of two online counsellors for students, throughout the week.

The undergraduate student died by suicide on November 2 in Telangana after being stressed for days as the college had asked second-year hostellers to vacate their rooms by November 10, her parents said.

In 2019, the college had introduced a new policy limiting its hostel to first-year students only. This was done to ensure reservation for students from other backward classes (OBC) and economically weaker section (EWS) categories.

It has been a longstanding demand of students to revoke that policy and they reiterated the demand on Thursday as well. Students also submitted a memorandum of demands to the college administration and these included distribution of tablets and data packs for online classes; allowing students to pay only tuition fee this year and no other fee components, option to pay fee in instalments and extension of the last date of payment deadline. They have also asked for recording of class lectures and extension of the last date for submission of assignments.

They also asked the college to form a committee with student representation to look into issues faced by marginalised students and to introduce more need-based scholarships.

Unnimaya P, general secretary of LSR students’ union and a member of Students Federation of India (SFI), said, “The principal has assured us that the administration will ensure swift disbursal of scholarships and provide more scholarships (for needy students). The deadline for fee payment has been extended and the college would consider a fee waiver as well.” She also said the college is also reviewing its hostel policy.

“Submission dates for internal assessment have been extended and (the college) will make available the services of two online counsellors throughout the week,” Unnimaya said.

LSR principal Suman Sharmas did not respond to repeated requests for comment from HT.

Mudra, a member of SFI’s LSR unit, said, “The LSR administration has never heeded the pleas of the student community. The response from the administration now is welcome but there are more demands to be met.”

A group of students, affiliated to the All India Students’ Association (AISA), also protested outside the University Grants Commission headquarters on Thursday demanding the disbursal of pending fellowships and fee waiver for students.