Students object as Maulana Azad National Urdu University hikes fees

HYDERABAD: Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) administration has again hiked the tuition fee for the academic year 2017-18, according to students. The campus is known to accommodate students belonging to low economic groups, the fee is hiked every year, allege the students. According to them, the students fall in massive debt due to delay in scholarhips. They will need more money in their pocket due to the new fee structure.

Student alleged that many a times, common students can’t even afford two times meals in the campus. Under such circumstances hiking the fee becomes un-affordable for the students. Prof. P. F. Rehman, Central Admission Committee, MANUU Hyderabad, said, “To raise internal resources, we have increased just '3,600 per annum for the M.Phil and PhD students who get '8,000 scholarship every month from the university. Though the students may have their own points of view but according to the University this fee hike is very nominal as it is only for students getting scholarship from the university.”

Tajamul Islam, Student Union President and an English PhD student, said, “At a time when it is important that faculty should be increased in courses, contractual faculty system be ended and more universities established to spread knowledge, the government is coming up with agenda one after another to scuttle the space for students. Education should be affordable for all and not the privilege of elite classes only.”

He adds, “Only a handful of students have bikes. Others belong to economically weak families. Many cannot even afford mess dues.  They constantly face difficulties in  paying mess advance which is '1,800 every month.” Shaikh Bhavajan a PhD student from MANUU said, “The amount taken from the students last academic year was high. Any attempt to increase it this time is tantamount to closing the gates for students coming from below poverty line. Are we the only revenue generating sources for them.”