After student protests, IITB partially rolls back increased fee

MUMBAI: Months after protests against fee hike brought the campus of Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B) to a halt, the institute decided to roll back the fees partially. Students said that the roll back is between 28%-43%, depending on the student category and programme of study.

According to statistics shared by students of IIT-B, registration fees which was proposed at ₹1,000 will now be ₹750, medical fee, which was initially proposed at ₹2,000 will now stay at ₹1,500 and mess establishment charges which stood at ₹1,500 as per the proposed hike will continue to be ₹1,250.

However, the management has made it clear that there will be no changes to the increased fee under categories like exam fee, hostel rent, electricity and water charges, student accident-insurance fund and hostel establishment charges. “We view this as a partial but important victory, as it will benefit the student community. In course of negotiation with the administration, a very important decision taken was to henceforth consult the student community in fee revision decisions,” said a spokesperson for the group, Students Against Fee Hike IITBombay.

In May this year, the management introduced a hike for the new academic session, including a 300% hike in hostel rent, 167% hike in gymkhana fee, 100% hike in examination, registration and medical fees and around 50% hike in other charges. IIT-B authorities explained the hike to inflation. After weeks of rallies and verbal threats to bunk classes, students sat on a relay hunger strike. After the protests, the institute management assured students that the hike will be looked into and eventually also asked students to submit their suggestions on the fee hike.

A review committee was set up with officials from the administration including the director and various deans as well as students. The report was then placed in front of the board of governors, who gave the go ahead for a partial roll back.