In the Midst of Student Protests, IIT Bombay Admin Defends Fee Hike

The institute said it needs to “adjust its charges to stay alive and grow."

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay. 

(file photo)

A day after students went on a hunger strike to protest against the fee hike at IIT Bombay, the institute defended its decision on Sunday, 7 August, saying that it needs to “adjust its charges to stay alive and grow,” reported NDTV.

"The majority of our students realise that the government cannot keep subsidising them beyond a point. IIT-Bombay is trying to convince the remaining few students to stop the stir by talking with them,” read a statement by the institute.

Hike in Fees

The institute has hiked the hostel fees of students from Rs 2,000 to Rs 7,000, saying that they need to build more hostels and academic buildings due to a sharp increase in its strength. “The hostel fee increase is essential to cover actual expenses, allowing our other sources of income to be used to provide better academic facilities," the statement read.

The tuition fees for new PhD students, meanwhile, was hiked from Rs 2,500 to Rs 5,000. In the case of new MTech students, tuition fees rose from Rs 5,000 per semester (after a partial tuition fee waiver) to Rs 30,000 per semester.

Student Protests

Meanwhile, a students' collective called 'Students Against Fee Hike at IIT Bombay' responded to the institute's announcement by saying, “IIT Bombay is viewed as one of the most important public education institutions in India. It has a rich legacy of facilitating economic and social mobility for students coming from diverse backgrounds.”

"By making its students ‘understand’ that they cannot expect the government to bear even some burden of their educational expenses from public money, does the IIT Bombay administration wish to become one of the public education institutions attempting to legitimise privatisation of public education amongst its students?"

A statement by students' collective, Students Against Fee Hike at IIT Bombay

Earlier, the students had said that they would go on a hunger strike if their demands were not met.

A statement by the students' collective, dated 1 August, read, “The students went to the offices of some faculties today and appealed to them to stand in solidarity. It was noticed by the students that many of the faculty members were still not aware about the fee hike by the institute. The students explained about the excessive economic burden they are having to face due to the fee hike to the faculty members. It was conveyed to them that as they are going to be staying at the institute for more time than any of the students, they have more stakes in maintaining the inclusive and accessible nature of it.”

It added that many faculty members have come out in support of the students.

(With inputs from NDTV and The Indian Express.)