JNU fee hike: HRD Ministry officials meet students and VC, but no agreement reached

In a bid to break logjam in Jawaharlal Nehru University over hostel fee hike issue, HRD Ministry functionaries held a lengthy parley with students and varsity ministration on Tuesday but could t reach at an agreement, officials said. meeting will continue on Wednesday, officials said and expressed hope that matter will be resolved.

JNU vice-chancellor M Jagesh Kumar, Registrar Pramod Kumar, and students' union representatives attended meeting at HRD Ministry. " meeting was held with both parties. issue was discussed threbare but agreement could be reached. re will be a meeting again tomorrow and issue is likely to be finally put to rest," a senior Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry official said.

students' union reiterated its demand for a complete rollback of hostel fee hike and postponement of examinations. Semester-end examinations are scheduled from December 12 and students' union has called for an exam boycott till ir demands are met.

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HRD will only "facilitate" a resolution

HRD Ministry h last month set up a three-member committee to recommend ways to restore rmalcy in JNU and mediate between students and university ministration. panel has submitted its report but ministry is yet to take a call on it. ministry h last week asked committee appointed by it to compare hostel fee structure of JNU, after second rollback, with or central universities.

HRD Ministry is unlikely to pass any directive to university as it is an automous institution, but will only "facilitate" a resolution, officials said.

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Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' informed Lok Sabha on Monday that government h t directed any central university to increase fees. His comment came on a day police lathi-charged JNU students when y tried to march to Rashtrapati Bhavan to meet president and urge him to ensure hike in hostel fee is completely rolled back. In an earlier statement, JNU ministration said students h been invited for talks but y were "spreing false statements and t attending meeting."

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