Hyderabad: Protests by students, led by ABVP, escalated as 3,000 students belonging to Osmania University, JNTU-Hyderabad, Mahatma Gandhi University and Kakatiya University demanded immediate withdrawal of the proposed fee hike in their institutions.
War of words erupted between the vice-chancellor of Osmania University Prof. Ravinder and ABVP with the former accusing that vandalism had resulted in damages in his chamber even as ABVP members insisted that they had staged a peaceful protest on Tuesday.
The VC said that the fee was not hiked in 15 years and to keep pace with the demands of students for better infrastructure and meet the salaries of faculties for self-finance courses that have been doubled, the fee hike was unavoidable.
"The students are here to study in government universities. If they start charging so highly, the private institutions would be tempted to charge even more," said Praveen Reddy, ABVP state secretary.
"Around 300 students barged into the campus and broke several glass doors by shoving away security guards and police personnel," said Prof Ravinder adding that such violent behaviours would not be tolerated in the campus.
ABVP members said that police lathi-charge had fractured one student’s hand.
"If the fee is not reduced within the next seven days, we will call for a bandh in all the four universities and colleges affiliated to them," said Praveen Reddy.
Meanwhile, inspector of Osmania University police station, L. Ramesh Naik said that based on a complaint from the university’s chief security officer, Ganapathu Jadhav, an FIR was registered against eight members of the ABVP.
New fee structure:
· AI engineering Rs 1.20 lakh; Engineering in mining up to Rs one lakh
· Regular engineering fee hiked from Rs 18,000 to Rs 35,000 and up to Rs 75,000 for self-finance courses
· MA in Arts and Social Science (regular) hiked from Rs 2,800 to Rs 14,000 and from Rs 3,800 to Rs 21,000 for self-finance courses
· M.Sc enhanced to Rs 20,490 from Rs 3,800
· M.Com revised to Rs 30,000 and MBA Rs 35,000
