VARSITY TO FORM PANEL TO SUGGEST SOLUTION

CHANDIGARH: Amid growing demand of students for semester-fee waiver, Panjab University (PU) has decided to constitute a panel to deliberate on demands of various student outfits and make recommendations. Vice-chancellor Raj Kumar held a meeting with members of different student bodies on Thursday after multiple protests were held on campus.

The students raised their demands in front of the V-C and other university officials at the meeting. PU’S dean students welfare (DSW) SK Tomar said, “The panel will be headed by the dean university instructions and will suggest the way out.”

During the meeting, some students suggested all charges be waived other than tuition fee as the classes will be held online, but others demanded complete fee waiver for the upcoming semester.

Chetan Chaudhary of Students Organisation of India (SOI) and former president of PU students’ council said, “University officials said the panel will look into the demands of students and suggest a way out.”

Panjab University is already staring at major financial constraints and is already looking at ways to curtail spending.

“Rather than burdening students amid the Covid pandemic, the university will seek a special grant from the Centre,” said Sandeep of Students For Society (SFS), who also attended the meeting.

Nikhil Narmeta of National Students Union of India (NSUI) said, “We have suggested that the university should adjust fee for months in which classes were not held against the next semester and charges other than tuition fee should be exempted.”