Agency News

India News | Protest at Presidency University Against Proposed Admission Fee Hike

Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. A group of students of the Presidency University in Kolkata began a sit-in on Friday evening, protesting the proposed hike in admission fees.

India News | Protest at Presidency University Against Proposed Admission Fee Hike

Kolkata, Jul 26 (PTI) A group of students of the Presidency University in Kolkata began a sit-in on Friday evening, protesting the proposed hike in admission fees.

The demonstration was being held at the varsity's main campus on College Street with around 20 students participating.

Also Read | Kargil Vijay Diwas 2024: India Post Releases Commemorative Postage Stamp on 25th Anniversary of India's Victory in Kargil War.

"We have been interacting with the recently formed fee review committee without any result. Several questions raised by us remain unanswered. We want the varsity authorities to talk to us directly," Bitan Islam, an activist of the SFI that was spearheading the demonstration, told PTI.

An official of the varsity said the proposal for a fee hike was under consideration after around 10 years.

Also Read | PM Narendra Modi Shares 'Budget 2024 Blueprint' on NaMo App for Skilled and Viksit Bharat.

For admission to undergraduate courses, it has been proposed that the fee would be hiked from Rs 4,205 to Rs 7,200. While for admission to post-graduate courses, the proposal is to hike the fee from 4,300 to Rs 7,200, he said.

"The fee hike has become imperative as the institution is facing a fund crunch, which has affected procurement of new books for the library, instruments for laboratories and proper upkeep of the existing lab facilities," he added.

The hike has been proposed for admission to the first semester only, the official said.

Islam said the agitating students suggested the varsity alternatives to generate funds without burdening the students.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)