Students may have to leave studies halfway

New Delhi: If you enter the campus of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), you will witness the lush green trees and silence of the roads, with people discussing and debating at different corners of the dhabas. JNU has always been known for its "liberal" stance, while numerous protests have taken place there. However, in the recent years, the university came in the limelight for the wrong reasons, with political wings calling it an "anti-national" university.

And is yet again that the campus witnesses intense protests, since the past 20 days, which has become bigger with each passing day. The students have been accused of vandalising the university's property, by using paints and writing slogans inside the varsity's office. Meanwhile, an FIR has been registered in connection with the "defacement of public property". For the unversed, the reason such protests are taking place in JNU, is due to the changed rules in the new hostel manual. The manual that was passed on October 28, witnessed a 'massive' fee hike in hostel charges, among other things. For example — rent for double room hiked from Rs 10 to Rs 300, while rent for student single room hiked from Rs 20 to Rs 600. However, the one-time refundable mess security deposit was rolled back to Rs 5,500 instead of Rs 12,000. Utility charges like water and electricity bill will be charged "as per actual", while service charges have been added to Rs 1,700 per month. If implemented, the total burden on every student would have risen to a whopping 300 per cent hike.

The increase in hostel fees has brought many students in a shocking state, where many have talked about leaving the education in the middle as they will not be able to afford it. While the students demanded to meet Vice Chancellor (VC) Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar, there has been no word from the latter. But after numerous protests JNU's Executive Council decided to provide 50 per cent concession to Below Poverty Line (BPL) category. But students say the issue is far wider and doesn't end their problems. Millennium Post talked to numerous students from different backgrounds explaining their ordeal and how the fee hike will destroy their education. "I come from the slums of Mumbai and my father sells flowers on the roads," said Seema, who stood in front of fellow students narrating her story.

She said that her father cannot afford the fee hike. "My father had said, education is for the rich people, for poor people, all we have is talent and on the basis of that you fight and study," she said.

Seema is a PhD student and added that she might get Rs 8,000 as a scholarship from next month. However, with the new fee structure, she might have to pay Rs 6,500 in total. "Do they expect me to survive in Delhi in Rs 1,000?" she asked.

"I know the issues of slum area. I have come here from the roads of Mumbai and I have got admission on the basis of merit. You (the administration) haven't given us anything as charity, we have earned it. This fight is for ideology, this is a fight for education," she said.

Aishe Ghosh, JNUSU president, narrated how her parents were not comfortable for her to come and study here. "Education is a tool of empowerment, they don't want students coming from the marganalised community to study. Today, my father might have the capability to make me study, but my parents were not in favour of me coming to Delhi and studying, because at a point of time, they expected me to finish my masters and do a job," she said.

She added that she had to fight to make her way here. "I could fight with my family, because the fee structure was such and that my fellowship could sustain that fee structure," she said.

Standing among hoard of students fighting for the new reservation manual to be taken back, stood a group of people with stick in their hands. The students, who were blind joined the protest against the fee hike. "I will be forced to leave this university, because my father will not be able to pay such an amount. My father is a farmer and mother is a housewife. My sister is also studying. My income is below 1 lakh and I won't be able to ask this amount from my parents. So, I might be forced to leave the university," said Ram who hails from Rajasthan.

He said, "In my entire family, I am the first kid that has reached till masters." Even after the concession, Ram might think about leaving the university as there are no reservations for people with PwD category. "If you read the 132-page manual, you will see there are no reservations for us. Earlier, we were given priority, during hostel selection, but now there is nothing mentioned in the manual," said Mukesh a Hindi PhD scholar, who was present at the with Ram protest.

Students say JNU is a university that has given space to marganalised section of society, where students from different rural areas of India, are given subsidised education at an equal level. "I feel mentally harassed. I came here for a reason and I don't want to protest, but this administration has left us helpless," said Aakash, a PhD student who was sitting outside the administration block.

Meanwhile, the students and and wardens have held meetings to discuss the issues, whose report will be filed soon, according to Dean of Students Umesh Kadam. However, the students plan to march towards Parliament House on Monday.