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Delhi

JNU mess charges revised to double

New Delhi: In yet another controversial move, Jawaharlal Nehru University ( JNU) has revised its mess charges to almost double, attracting strong reactions from students. In a recent circular issued on February 27, JNU authorities said that the university has now increased the mess charges by 100 per cent. The office of Dean of Students notified about the revision of charges of mess admission dues, guest and guest meal charges, fine for late payment and charges for extra items. Moreover, the new rules are being implemented retrospectively from January 1, the official circulars reads.
"Under the Mess Admission Dues category, the refundable mess security has been increased to Rs 4,500 from the earlier Rs 2,700. The establishment charges per semester will be Rs 1,100, up from Rs 550. Annual crockery/utensils charges have been increased from Rs 50 to Rs 200. Newspaper (annual) was revised from Rs 15 to Rs 50," said the circular. "Late payment of mess bill witnessed the highest jump i.e. 20 times from Re 1 per day to Rs 20 per day," said a student.
Student and former JNUSU general secretary Satarupa Chakraborty said, "An obnoxious circular is being issued by the JNU administration with retrospective effect. I am shocked that this administration is not leaving a single stone unturned to attack the livelihood of students. A university which was a place for students, particularly for the deprived sections, is becoming a place for subsequent alienation of thousands of students".
"Welcome to the dystopia that Jagadesh Kumar wants to turn our university into. There has been a fee hike for hostels which is more than 100 per cent. This was not even tabled in the IHA meeting that took place in January, and yet, it is out here for us to follow," wrote Apeksha Priyadarshini at social media.
She added that this is in tandem with the series of attacks the VC has launched on us to push the "Vikas model" of his gurus in our university and turn education into a luxury with structural exclusion of students coming from oppressed socio-economic backgrounds. "Are we going to meekly give in to this hike and allow the admin to take away the rights of all those students coming from socio-economically oppressed backgrounds to avail facilities at this so-called "public funded" university?" she said.
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