The protest by the students of Azim Premji University entered the eighth day on Monday. They have been protesting the shuttle fees of Rs 8,500 imposed by the college and have demanded a blanket waiver of the fees.
The students alleged that the management failed to inform them about additional shuttle fees during the selection stage and they got to know it only during the admission, by when it was too late for them to refuse admission.
They added that the management did not allow the students to opt out of the shuttle services citing safety concerns. "There are many students from the economically weaker sections who cannot afford to pay such huge fees. The management has deducted the fees from the security deposit of scholarship students and also from the assistantship stipend paid to students who worked during end-semester breaks. They should refund it,” one of the students demanded.
The students also alleged lack of transparency in administration and urged the authorities to involve them in policy-making matters. "We don't know whom to approach for different problems as there is no clear organisational structure,” one said.
DH tried to contact members of the management but they were unreachable.
Published 20 February 2023, 22:28 IST