Why are IIT Bombay students protesting in mass numbers?

Several hundred students of IIT Bombay are protesting against the increased fees by the college administration. Students say that this fee hike is not justified and is putting financial burden on the family of the students in the time of rising inflation.

Students say that the fee for the autumn semester has been increased. The fees for on-roll students in PhD have been increased by 45%. Apart from tuition fee, there has been a huge increase in the charges of hostel, registration, electricity charges, water charges, medical fee, exam fee, accident insurance, student bivalent fee, mess and gymkhana in Masters and PhD courses.

IITB Autumn Semester Fee Structure 2019, 2021, 2022.
A 5% increase every year would have contributed like
17750*(1.05)^3 = 20550
But its almost 24k, which is apparently 3.5k more.

While the stipend/scholarship remain unchanged!!@iitbfeehike #IITB #FeeHike pic.twitter.com/RIy6vbCxPq

— Dr. Justin Jacob (@justinmynest) July 26, 2022

New Fees Structure in IIT Bombay

This new fee structure is more expensive for new students taking admission in MTech. The total fees structure which used to be Rs 16,500 has been increased to 23,950. Tuition fees for new PhD students has also been increased from 2,500 to 5000. The tuition fees for masters has been increased from 2,500 to 25,000. This is injustice to the students.

Students are also angry with the manner in which the IIT Bombay administration increased the fees, they say that "the administration issued the circular directly on the website. For this, there was no interaction with the students, nor was anything told to the elected representative."

Students are opposing this fees hike by forming IIT Bombay Students Against Fee Hike Collective. The students are adamant on the demand for complete withdrawal of the fee hike.

This collective says that the increase in fee will have a profound effect on the financial condition of the family of the students. The economic condition of the houses has already deteriorated due to inflation and Covid-19.

The students have written a letter to the director in which demands like roll back of fee hike, increase in the last date for depositing fees and hike in fellowship of research scholars have been made.

What government said?

The ministry of education had said that there is no fee hike for the existing students. For new admissions, hike will be gradual over a period of three years or more, as will be decided by the respective Board of Governors of IITs.

Needy students will be provided necessary financial support. All concessions and scholarships for SC/ST/OBC and others will continue without change.

“The fee hike will discourage non-serious students, who after a few months of stay in IITs, leave the programme midway to take up employment or to prepare for competitive exams. The fee for the M.Tech. programmes in IITs have not been revised for a long time whereas the cost per student has gone up substantially.

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