JNU rolls back hostel fee-hike after massive students' protest

In a big win for the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students, the HRD Ministry has rolled back the hostel fees after massive and continuous protest by the students. Announcing the rollback on Twitter, the Education Secretary R Subrahmanyam said that the JNU executive committee has rolled back the fees that was hiked. The Secretary also added that it is time to go back to classes as the JNU executive committee has proposed a scheme for economic assistance to EWS students. 

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This comes after the students on Wednesday held a protest outside the UGC and submitted a memorandum of their demands to the EC members. The students led a massive protest since Monday morning at the convocation venue against the "anti-student" policies of the varsity's administration. While the administration barricaded the area outside the auditorium, clashes were reported between the forces deployed for security and JNUSU students.

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Why were the students protesting?

The students' union has been on a strike against the Draft Hostel Manual which was approved by the Inter-Hall Administration. They claim that the manual has provisions for fee hike, curfew timings and dress code restrictions for students. They have said they will not end the strike till the Hostel Manual is withdrawn. The protest is also part of the students' agitation against the hostel manual and several other issues like restrictions by the administration on entry to Parthasarathy Rocks, attempts to lock students' union office, etc, they said.  Last year, the varsity held its second convocation after a period of 46 years. Last year, the students' union called for boycotting the convocation, accusing JNU VC M Jagadesh Kumar of "muzzling their democratic rights". The first convocation of the university was held in 1972, when G Parthasarathi was the vice-chancellor.

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