It all started in 2014 when Panjab University began witnessing a financial crunch. Since then, consistent efforts have been made by the university to acquire funds from the state and central governments. Devoid of any response, the Vice Chancellor of PU, Professor Arun Kumar Grover, was forced to increase the fee by 5 per cent in 2016. And this year, the tuition fee has been hiked by an additional 12.5 per cent calling it a “need of the hour.” Some courses have seen the fee raise as much as five to ten times. For instance, the fee for the MBA course has been hiked from Rs 9,400 to Rs 1 lakh and that of law from Rs 4,000 to Rs 20,000. The BA fee has been hiked from Rs 2,200 to Rs 10,000.

Until last year, Panjab University was the cheapest varsity in the region apart from the central universities. But, if the varsity implements this fee hike, only the elite section of the society will be able to study here.

A majority of the university’s income comes from the examination fee, entrance exam and the tuition fee. There had agitations over the examination fee hike in September last year. But the hike was not as high as this time. Though VC has said that no student shall be refused admission due to fee hike, he hasn’t explained how.

Student groups come together to protest against fee hike

The agitation by various student groups on the campus started after PU senate approved the fee hike by 12.5 per cent on March 26. Various students organisations including Students for Society (SFS), the National Student Union of India (NSUI), the Panjab University Students’ Union (PUSU) and the Students Organisation of India (SOI) came together to protest against the fee hike along with students in Chhattisgarh colleges. Student political parties like NSUI and ABVP declared indefinite hunger strikes until the university authorities rollback the proposed hike and agree to reconsider policy decisions in this respect.

Every party on campus submitted a memorandum to VC. Following these protests, on April 6, at 11 am, the VC invited representatives of all student bodies including the ABVP, SFS, SOI, NSUI and office bearers of PU Campus Students’ Council for talks. However, the students walked out abusing the VC as he expressed his helplessness over the issue.

A press conference by the VC was followed by this protest in which he stated his helplessness in rolling back the fee hike. He also added that the withdrawal of the hike will only be possible if they receive sustainable grants from the concerned governments. Immediately after the statement, all the students led by student organisations gathered outside VC’s office to protest against his decision.

Courtesy: Hindustan Times

Students cane-charged after protest turns violent

The protest turned violent when the students broke the police cordons to enter the vice chancellor’s office premises. Protesters belonging to various student organisations broke the barricades, pushed the main entrance and tried to enter the premises of VC’s office.

The police used force to stop students as girls and boys were dragged out. The students were not ready to return and the police cane-charged and used water cannons three times. Though many students were injured and a girl reportedly fainted, the protesters didn’t withdraw. Instead,  many protesters were seen dancing and singing.Student’s leaders kept requesting students to continue the protest until the VC would come out, which never happened. The notable thing in the protest was the presence of so many students from colleges in the city. Three students were arrested and later released in the evening. The angered students marched to the Student Centre in varsity and announced PU ‘bandh’ (Panjab University ‘bandh’) on April 11.

On April 8, there was a meeting held by all the student parties to discuss how the ‘bandh’ should be carried out. A new plan was born out of the meeting as a march from Student Centre to Governor house on Monday to submit a memorandum against the fee hike and seek the help of concerned authorities. This was also because the VC was justifying the fee hike saying that the government was not funding the varsity and that there was no option. On the same day, the VC came out saying that the recent fee hike is not applicable in its constituent colleges in Chandigarh and Panjab and also it will provide concession to economically weaker students. However, the students are not ready to step back until the issue is being resolved.

The future of PU is not very bright if this situation prevails. Even the colleges in the state are becoming a part of the protest because each and every student feels the burden of the fee hike. “This protest is not just for us, but for the future. A majority of students from the region won’t be able to afford such a high fee,” said Hardik Ahluwalia, a law student from the university.

What happened at Panjab Raj Bhavan on April 10

As per the previous plan, around 200 students, led by Panjab University Students Council (PUCSC) gathered at the students’ centre by 10.30 on Monday. The march started at 11 am towards the Panjab Raj Bhavan (Governor’s residence). In anticipation of protest, a massive police force, equipped with riot gear and water cannons, were deployed in front of the Raj Bhavan. Students were stopped at gate no.1 by the police force with barricades. A scuffle took place between police and students and 15 students, including the president of PUCSC, Nishant Kaushal, were held and detained at Sector 24 police station.

The remaining students sat on the gate sloganeering against VC and Chandigarh police. After repeated requests, the police agreed to send a few students inside in order to hand over the memorandum to Governor. But these students were denied of meeting the Governor and returned after submitting the memorandum at his office.

All the detained students were released later. “Students are quite disappointed by the action of governor and Chandigarh police. But we will fight until we get justice,” said the PUCSC president Nishant Kaushal. By noon students of various political parties went to classes to appeal all students to boycott classes and participate in large number on Tuesday’s ‘bandh’.