NEW DELHI :Protests by students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) seeking a total roll-back of the proposed hike in hostel fees have adversely affected academic work in the university, even as the JNU administration on Wednesday released a press note appealing to the students to end their protests and resume academic work, after announcing a partial roll-back.
The JNU administration in its press note said: “The administration makes a fervent appeal to all the students of JNU to get back to their classes, laboratory works and research activities as major concessions have been given to students belonging to the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category and clauses related to dress and hostel timings removed from the hostel manual as per the feedback from the students. Resuming academic work will protect the careers of thousands of students from any further harm.”
In its Executive Council meeting, the JNU administration had decided to a partial roll-back of the contentious provisions in its hostel manual like curfew timing and dress code amidst protests against them for nearly a month. Meanwhile, Vice-Chancellor M. Jagadesh Kumar in a press statement said that the JNU administration is willing to engage in a dialogue with the students.
The new proposal by the Executive Council had stated that the rent for a double-seater room, which had been hiked to Rs 300 per month from Rs 10 per month earlier, has been reduced to Rs 150 per month for students under the BPL category. Rent for a single-seater room which was proposed at Rs 600 per month from Rs 20 per month earlier, has been reduced to Rs 300 per month for only BPL students. It has also given 50% concession to BPL students on utility and service charges. The one-time refundable mess security which was hiked to Rs 12,000 has been reduced to Rs 5,500 for all students.
Meanwhile, some students termed the partial roll-back as “eyewash” and said the protests will continue till there is a complete roll-back of the hostel manual.
JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU) president Aishe Ghosh told The Sunday Guardian: “On Monday, the HRD minister assured us that there will be an intervention from the ministry. But till now, only room rent and security deposit has been reduced.”