Presidency University students end gherao of interim VC after 16 hours
Authorities roll back proposed fee hike after student agitations and a seven-day sit-in demonstration
Presidency University students in Kolkata ended a 16-hour-long gherao and a nearly seven-day sit-in demonstration against their interim vice-chancellor Nirmalya Narayan Chakraborty on Thursday. The students were protesting against the proposed fee hike in the 2024-25 academic session.
The fee hike would have affected all new students in both undergraduate and postgraduate courses. The Registrar and the Dean of students were also gheraoed in the same instance.
Students dispersed from the spot after the varsity authorities gave written assurance that the new fee hike will not be implemented in the current academic year. The proposed fee structure would have raised the fees for undergraduate students from ₹4,205 to ₹7,200 and postgraduate fees from ₹4,300 to ₹7,200. This hike was the first instance of an increase in fees in the last decade.
No assurance has been given by the university authorities if any fee hike will be brought about in the 2025-26 academic session.
Mayukh Bhattacharya, a protesting student from Presidency University, told The Hindu: “The university authorities have assured us that as there is no permanent V-C at the college now and no permanent governing body. There will be no fees hike this year.” He also said, “The Registrar has said that there are still funding issues at the university as there are a lack of funds from both the Centre and State levels, so the university income and expenditure committee will work to solve the funding issue and overcome the roadblock.”
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