We have seen how fee hikes in different universities across the nation have agitated students and made universities increasingly vulnerable to onslaughts by the market. The latest in the row of controversies is the case of TISS, Hyderabad which has seen its students protest over the last couple of days against the sudden proposal towards fee hike for the hostels.
The students of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Hyderabad have launched a protest outside the academic block of the institute against the hostel fee hike. The students are not allowing even the faculty to enter the academic block. The protest is going on at the academic block since July 8th, 2019.
The students have protested against the sudden hike in fees and said that prior to the hostel fee hike they were required to pay a sum of Rs 15,000 in three installments but in the last week of June, the administration notified the students about the proposal to hike the hostel fee and asked them for an upfront payment of Rs 54,650 if they wanted to continue staying at the hostel.
Upon hearing the sudden demand of the administration, the students wrote ample number of mails to the administration requesting them to restore the original fees. The institute’s student action committee (SAC) demanded that “for students who are unable to pay the dining hall fee immediately to be provided the option to pay off their dues once they receive the student aid and scholarships.”
The students want the administration to up with a long term solution to the crisis instead of dealing with it on a case-to-case basis. However the administration is refusing to address this as a blanket issue as the hostels are managed by private firms. The institute is being run by a non-governmental body but the hostels on the campus are run by other private firms. So a fee hike demand by the hostel managing firms has suddenly disturbed the students and they are asking the institute administration to look into the matter.
With no satisfactory response from the administration, the students have started a signature campaign assuring the service providers that they will make the payment once they receive the scholarship amount. Students assembled outside the administrative block to build pressure on the administration. The administration has said that they will take necessary action if the students don’t stop protesting.
The students have decided to continue with their protest and resort to legal action if the administration does not listen to their demands.
