The Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) unit of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) on Thursday staged a protest against the hike in various university fees and demanded immediate withdrawal of the increased charges.
Addressing the protest, SFI activists alleged that the university administration had increased general fees, examination fees and hostel fees by 25 per cent, calling the move “anti-student and anti-people”.
They said HPU was established to provide affordable and quality higher education to students from rural, remote and economically weaker sections of the state, but the fee hike would make education less accessible and push it towards commercialisation.
The activists alleged that the state government and university administration were passing on the burden of financial constraints and budgetary shortcomings to students. They claimed that instead of seeking adequate grants and financial assistance, the administration was relying on fee hikes to address the university’s financial issues.
SFI demanded that the state government provide a special financial package to address HPU’s financial crisis and release a white paper on the university’s budget management.
The student body warned of launching a mass movement if the fee hike was not withdrawn. The proposed agitation includes a signature campaign across campus departments, gherao of the Vice-Chancellor and Registrar, protests, a relay hunger strike and a complete boycott of classes.
