Undergraduate and postgraduate students of the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT-H) have launched a protest against the management, demanding a rollback of the recently implemented fee hike. The students claim that the management has raised charges for facilities such as sports, gymkhana, and transportation, adding to their financial burden.
According to the students, the annual fee hike amounts to INR 7,000 ($94) as there are two semesters in a year. The revised charges for non-tuition-related fees now stand at INR 48,300 ($651). In response to the students’ protest, the management reduced the fee hike to INR 2,000 ($27). However, the students argue that this reduction is insufficient and insist on a complete rollback.
One anonymous student expressed their dissatisfaction, stating, We don’t mind paying, but being charged for things that are still not operational feels wrong. For instance, transport charges of INR 2,500 ($34) are a lot considering it is only used for pickup and drop from the academic block to the hostels and the gate. The sports fee of INR 2,750 ($37) also feels unwarranted as the new sports complex has still not been opened.
The issue of consistent and rapid fee increases was highlighted in an email written by the students, which stated, We have noticed a consistent and rapid increase in fees each year…In previous meetings when we asked about last year’s semester hike, officials said that our fellowship will be hiked soon but it is still the same. However, fees are increased every year.
The IIT-H management has made some adjustments to the fee structure. The sports fee was reduced from INR 3,250 ($44) to INR 2,750 ($37), while the gymkhana fee for student union activities was initially increased from INR 550 ($7) to INR 1,750 ($23) and then rolled back to INR 1,250 ($17).
The fee hike is causing significant financial strain for the students, particularly B Tech students who are already paying INR 1.48 lakh ($1,990) in tuition fees per semester. The amount increases to around INR 2.93 lakh ($3,942) per semester for postgraduate students and ranges from INR 38,000 ($510) to INR 57,000 ($766) for PhD scholars, depending on the batch.
In response to the protest, IIT-H sources have stated that the matter has been resolved, although no official statement has been released by the management.
The students’ protest against the fee hike has gained momentum through a social media campaign using the hashtag #NoFeeHikeIITH. They are persistently demanding a complete rollback of the fee increase, emphasizing the need for financial relief amidst the challenging times caused by the ongoing pandemic.
It remains to be seen how the IIT-H management will address the concerns raised by the students and whether a compromise can be reached to ease their financial burden.
