Hindustan Times (Lucknow)

After student protests, IITB partially rolls back increased fee

- Shreya Bhandary shreya.bhandary@hindustant­imes.com

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.

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