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Indian Express
24-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
IIT Guwahati cites ‘student welfare' in first fee hike in 7 years; protestors call it unjustified, sudden
The postgraduate and PhD students at IIT Guwahati have started a peaceful protest against a recent fee hike announced by the institute on Tuesday. The protest, currently in its third day, centres around what students describe as a sudden and significant increase in semester fees, with many claiming it was implemented without 'prior communication.' According to protesting students, the semester fee for the regular PhD scholars has risen from approximately Rs 34,000 to Rs 48,000, a sum they say exceeds the monthly stipend of Junior and Senior Research Fellows (Rs 37,000 and Rs 42,000 respectively). The incoming batch of PhD students is expected to pay Rs 91,000 per semester, up from Rs 58,000 last year. Students have raised concerns that this increase comes despite no visible improvements in campus infrastructure or fellowship amounts. Many allege that the hike includes new components like fest fees and welfare fund and an increased hostel fund, hostel rent and hostel maintenance fee, which they argue are unjustified. There are also increments in the student brotherhood fund, medical fees, an IIT Guwahati student said. 'Only one component of the fee structure has seen a marginal adjustment. All other increments remain well above 50 per cent, with some more than tripling,' another student seeking anonymity claimed. Another added, 'The hostel fund has skyrocketed from Rs 600 to Rs 2,200. Are students really expected to bear the financial burden of events they neither requested nor uniformly benefit from?' The administration maintains that the fee revision — the first in seven years — amounts to Rs 8,900 per semester for continuing students. 'This has been made to support enhanced student welfare and activities, including increased allocations for hostel-level events, cultural and sports festivals, and Gymkhana-led initiatives beyond just Inter-IIT participation,' stated a media statement issued by the institute on Wednesday evening. The statement added that an open-house meeting was held on July 17, lasting four hours, where detailed clarifications were shared. 'The student body was asked to submit their representation if they had any further concerns. No submission has been received so far,' the institute noted. However, students say that discussions so far have 'yielded no concrete results.' One protestor alleged that although the administration initially assured students that non-payment of fees would not impact registration, 'it later did not allow students with pending fees to register.' Tensions reportedly escalated when the director declined to meet protesting students on July 23. The protest has involved fee boycotts and the suspension of some teaching assistant duties. Students have also highlighted the weather conditions, saying many fell ill during the demonstrations in the humid Guwahati heat. 'The fact that no one is addressing this is making everyone angry, disappointed, agitated and upset,' one student remarked. 'There are also complaints that when some basic facilities in hostels are compromised, like hygiene in bathrooms, dilapidated condition of bathrooms, AC issues in departments, etc., how can the administration decide on increasing the fee for the amenities provided?' The institute emphasised that the protest group is 'small' and that 'the majority of the 8,400-strong student body is not participating.' It also stated that the group has 'bypassed the elected student body,' which is working on a formal proposal regarding the fee revision. 'The elected student body is not part of this protest and is also working through the proper channel for an amicable solution to the increased components of the fee,' the IIT Guwahati statement read. The administration concluded, 'The Institute remains committed to student welfare and encourages engagement through constructive and formal channels.' Mridusmita Deka covers education and has worked with the Careers360 previously. She is an alumnus of Gauhati University and Dibrugarh University. ... Read More
Time of India
23-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
IIT-G: Fee revised after 7 years to support students' welfare
Guwahati: IIT Guwahati authorities on Wednesday said a fee hike was imminent to support the cause of the students, even as PhD students at the institute continued their second day of protests on Wednesday against substantial fee increase across various heads. The students conducted a protest march on the campus on Tuesday night, while the IIT Guwahati administration maintained that the hike in fee has been made 'to support enhanced student welfare and activities'. 'IIT Guwahati revised the fee after seven years, and the increase for continuing students is Rs 8,900 per semester. This was made to support enhanced student welfare and activities, including increased allocations for hostel-level events, cultural and sports festivals, and Gymkhana-led initiatives beyond just Inter-IIT participation,' IIT Guwahati authority said in a statement on Wednesday. Following the fee increase announcement last month, PG and PhD students requested an open discussion to understand the fee component increases. The administration stated they held a four-hour discussion on July 17, explaining the fee increase details. "The students were also informed that the institute made provisions for loans through the Students' Welfare Fund to support the needy ones. At the conclusion of the meeting, with the clarifications in hand, the student body was asked to submit their representation if they had any further concerns. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Discover the upgrades that set the New Koda 2 Pro apart Ooni Pizza Ovens Learn More Undo No submission has been received so far," the IIT Guwahati authority claimed on Wednesday. The administration noted that the protest outside the administrative building that started on Tuesday was unexpected, occurring without prior notice or formal representation of concerns. "While a small group of students is protesting, the majority of the 8,400-strong student body is not participating in the protest," the administration claimed, although protesting PhD students asserted support from others unable to join. "This small group of protesting students bypassed the elected student body," the administration added, noting the elected student body statement: "Despite the ongoing dialogue within the elected student body to put up a proposal for consideration of fee revision, this small group of protesting students disobeyed the student representatives, jeopardising their efforts at reconciliation. The elected student body is not part of this protest and is also working through the proper channel for an amicable solution to the increased components of the fee. " The protesters highlight that PhD students' fee increased by Rs 10,900 for the July-Nov semester 2025, rising from Rs 34,800 in Jan-May 2025 to Rs 45,700.
