JNU admin panel recommends concession in utility & service charges for all students

New Delhi: The internal High-Level Committee (HLC) set up by the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has recommended a 50 per cent reduction of hostel fees and utility charges for students. The reductions have been recommended further from the level it had decided earlier. The JNU HLC also recommended a 75 per cent reduction in hostel fees and other charges for Below Poverty Line (BPL) category students. The fresh report was submitted for evaluation on Monday and the recommendations have been approved by the Executive Council (EC) through circulation.

"High Level Committee (HLC) considered feedback of student representatives submitted to Dean of Students' Office through emails. Committee has made significant recommendations that would benefit all the students in university by addressing their concerns," said the circular from the Registrar's office.

However, JNU Students' Union (JNUSU) on Tuesday bashed the admin's decision, adding it never "tires itself from taking ludicrous steps and insult the student community through its circulars and press release."

"The press release on the night of November 25, by the so called 'High Level Committee' established by the self styled 'Competent Authority' is another outrageous fraud by this incompetent Vice Chancellor (VC) and his partners in crime of the so called HLC. In its deluded estimation, what it thinks is a concession on fee hike is a document unacceptable in its entirety," said a statement from JNUSU.

The students' union added that the HLC was formed by the administration on November 24, which invited suggestions through mail and wound up on the same day to come up with these recommendations on the next. "Both teachers and students, have been reiterating that it is important to save the sanctity of the institutions of JNU from such attacks," added the statement.

According to the updated recommendations, the utility and service charges have been brought down to Rs. 1000 from Rs. 2,000, while for BPL category the charges have come down to Rs. 500 from Rs. 1000. The administration appealed to the students to end the strike as it has caused "enormous academic loss". Meanwhile, Loni hostel's president Pratik, told Millennium Post that the strike is going to continue and the admin's recommendations have been rejected. Earlier the university's Student Faculty Committee (SFC) had done meetings where the decision was taken.