Fee hike: Delhi HC allows JNU students to register under old manuals

The Delhi High Court on Friday allowed those JNU students, who have yet not registered for the new academic year, to do it under the old hostel manual, without any late fees.

The court sought a response of the University on the plea of JNU Students Union challenging the decision to amend the hostel manual.

JNUSU and other students organisations have been on the forefront in the protests against the fee hike. JNU administration claimed that 82 % students of all 8,500 students have already enrolled themselves by Monday after clearing their hostel dues.

The monthly fee was previously fixed as Rs 10 and Rs 20 for double and single-occupancy rooms respectively.

The fee for all students, including those with Junior Research Fellowship, Senior Research Fellowship and other equivalent scholarships or fellowships, for double-occupancy and single rooms was hiked to Rs 600 and Rs 300 per month respectively.

The rent for Below Poverty Line (BPL) category students for double and single-occupancy rooms was increased to Rs 150 and Rs 300 per month respectively.

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.

On Friday, a bench of Justice Rajiv Shakdher also issued notices to MHRD and UGC in the plea filed by JNUSU President Aishe Ghosh and other office bearers Saket Moon, Satish Chandra Yadav and Md Danish.

The petitioners challenged the minutes of the Inter Hostel Administration (IHA) issued on October 28, last year, jurisdiction of the High Level Committee constituted on November 24 and recommendations made by it for increased fees. They claimed the decisions to bring about amendments in the hostel manual are contrary to provisions of the JNU Act, 1966, Statutes, Ordinances and the Hostel Manual.