JNU students to boycott exams over hostel fee hike

New Delhi: According to a resolution adopted by the representatives of various schools and centres of the varsity, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students have decided to boycott exams in protest over the hostel fee hike.

A general body meeting was held on Wednesday among the students’ representatives of various schools and centres and it decided on Thursday morning to boycott all academic activities.

Later, HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal “Nishank” told the Parliament on Thursday that the fee hike in JNU was effected in order to meet the increased expenditure on maintenance of hostels and to run those on a “no-profit-no-loss” basis.

In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha over the JNU hostel fee hike, which has led to an agitation by students, the minister said the university has increased the room rents after around 40 years. “JNU has informed that in order to meet the increased expenditure on the maintenance of hostels and to run them on a no profit no loss basis, it has increased room rents after about 40 years,” he said.

Earlier, the rent was '10 and '20 for double and single-occupancy rooms respectively.

The rent for all students—including those in the below poverty line (BPL) category with Junior Research Fellowship, Senior Research Fellowship, and other equivalent scholarships or fellowships—for single and double-seater rooms, has been hiked to Rs 600 and Rs 300 per month.

The rent for BPL students for double and single-seater rooms has been increased to Rs 150 and Rs 300 per month.

Earlier, there was no utility and service charge but now the university will charge BPL students Rs 500 and other students Rs 1,000 for the same.

The minister was also asked whether other universities were witnessing an increase in the fee structure.

Central universities, including JNU, are autonomous institutions and governed by respective acts, statutes, and ordinances made there, the minister said.