Jalpaiguri: A protest erupted on Monday at Sukanta Mahavidyalaya in Dhupguri, as the college authorities announced that the admission fee for the first and second semesters must be paid in a single instalment.
The decision drew strong opposition from the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad. The agitation escalated when the students blocked the National Highway to Falakatta for about 20 minutes.
Later, the college principal, Neelangshu Shekhar Das, mentioned that they would reconsider the fee structure and may announce a fee reduction in response to the protest.
This year, Sukant Mahavidyalaya saw approximately 2100 students seeking admission for the first semester. The college authorities clarified that all admitted students would be required to pay the fees for both semesters at once, a policy the students strongly disagreed with.
Niladri Bhowmick, one of the first-semester students seeking admission, stated, “Many of us come from middle-class families, and for some, this college is far away from our homes. The admission fee of Rs 3570, combined with the two-semester fee payment, is a significant burden for us to manage all at once. We request a revision of the semester fee.”