IIT-Kharagpur Director gheraoed by students over fee hike
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The protests, which began yesterday, ended this morning after a meeting between the students and management in which an assurance was given that their demands will be looked into. DH File photo
Protesting a hike in hostel fees, students of IIT-Kharagpur went on the warpath, holding the institute director, the registrar and other senior officials in their offices through the night on Tuesday.
A large group of students locked the gate, effectively preventing director P P Chakraborti and other senior officials from leaving the premises through the night.
The gherao continued late into Wednesday but came to an end after the management assured the students that their demands would be looked into.
According to the students’ body, the institute decided to hike hostel fees by 20% with effect from January 2017.
Distressed with the decision, students started protesting, expressing apprehensions that the new fee structure would increase their financial burden.
The premier tech school’s research scholars felt particularly affected as they felt that with a monthly stipend of Rs 25,000, it would be difficult for them to cope with a fee hike.
“During the time of admission, none of us were told about a fee hike and it was brought suddenly in the middle of a semester. The PhD scholars receive a small sum as stipend, from which they have to send a portion home, using the rest for paying hostel fees and food expenses. Without any increase in the stipend, it is difficult for research scholars to manage the fee hike,” said students’ body vice president Shovan Panigrahi.
He added that IIT-Kharagpur has the highest fees among all the IITs.
A large group of students locked the gate, effectively preventing director P P Chakraborti and other senior officials from leaving the premises through the night.
The gherao continued late into Wednesday but came to an end after the management assured the students that their demands would be looked into.
According to the students’ body, the institute decided to hike hostel fees by 20% with effect from January 2017.
Distressed with the decision, students started protesting, expressing apprehensions that the new fee structure would increase their financial burden.
The premier tech school’s research scholars felt particularly affected as they felt that with a monthly stipend of Rs 25,000, it would be difficult for them to cope with a fee hike.
“During the time of admission, none of us were told about a fee hike and it was brought suddenly in the middle of a semester. The PhD scholars receive a small sum as stipend, from which they have to send a portion home, using the rest for paying hostel fees and food expenses. Without any increase in the stipend, it is difficult for research scholars to manage the fee hike,” said students’ body vice president Shovan Panigrahi.
He added that IIT-Kharagpur has the highest fees among all the IITs.