AASU threatens stir over DU fee hike
Staff Correspondent
DIBRUGARH, AUG 20 – The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) has asked the Vice Chancellor of Dibrugarh University (DU) to reduce the excess fees of various courses of the university by August 24 or face agitation.
In a central executive meeting of the AASU of the seven districts under the coverage of the university held at the university’s PGSU hall today, the student body condemned the alleged arbitrary hike of fees, stating that it was unjustified and illogical. “Excess fees hike is not in the interest of the students because majority of the students in the region are from poor economic backgrounds. The university authorities should know the economic conditions of the people,” AASU assistant general secretary Nilothphar Rehman said at a press meet later.
Rituparna Baruah, Assistant General Secretary, AASU, said that the DU authorities were converting the State-managed university into a private one. “High fees of courses reflects that the university is not for the poor students,” the AASU leader said.
The students’ body, who along with university’s Post Graduate Students’ Union (PGSU) and district unit of AASU have been protesting against the steep hike of course fees since past one month, have called upon the Vice Chancellor Dr Kandarpa Kumar Deka to make higher education accessible to all. AASU leaders of seven districts have made it clear that they would not keep mum until course fees were reduced.
Mentionably, the fees for the first semester of the five-year LLB course in Dibrugarh University is Rs 17,150, whereas the fees of the first semester in Gauhati University is Rs 10,180. The Dibrugarh University collects annually Rs 7,750 for admission to MSc whereas Gauhati University charges only Rs 6,300 for a year. Similarly, the admission fees for MBA in Dibrugarh University is Rs 32,150 while its only Rs 20,800 in Gauhati University. For a degree in Engineering and Technology, a student should be capable of paying Rs 4,40,000 for the entire course. Further, a student can pursue course in MCA only by paying Rs 28,150 for admission into the first semester. The admission fees to the first semester of MSc in Bio-Tech has been hiked from Rs 28,150 in 2009 to Rs 39,150 in 2010. Last year the course fee for Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication was Rs 13,600 only but for the current year the course fee is Rs 17,150. The fee structures of various courses in the varsity in similar manner have reached alarming height.
The AASU has also asked the university authorities to withdraw the police case against the post graduate students’ leaders, stating that their democratic protest against fees hike was not a crime. Further, the student body criticised the university authorities for dissolving the post graduate students’ body and asked them to nullify the dissolution.
Source: The Assam Tribune
