JNU Executive Council announces partial rollback in fee-hike, curfew timing, dress code withdrawn

JNU Hostel Fee Hike Roll-backed: As per the latest update, JNU’s Executive Council – the highest decision making authority of the varsity, has decided to announce a partial roll-back in the hostel fee hike announced by the University Administration. The news has been confirmed via a tweet by Education Secretary, Govt of India. JNU students were on protest since last 15 days demanding roll-back of the hike in the hostel fees and draft hostel rules manual. 

Curfew Timing, Dress Code Withdrawn

Following the JNU Executive Council Meeting, the varsity has released the detailed notification confirming the partial roll-back of fees by the university. In addition to this, the notification has also confirmed that the new revised hostel manual has been approved by the council without the few clauses or conditions which was being opposed by the students. The clause regarding curfew timing has been withdrawn from the revised hostel manual. Similarly, the norms related to dress code for students in the mess or dining hall has also been discarded.

In addition to this, the university has also announced that it will provide 50% concession on room rent and utility charges and service charges to students below poverty line. The refundable mess security/ mess advance for students of all categories has also been rolled back from 12000 to 5500.

Partial Roll-back of Fee Hike Announced

As per the details trickling in through media reports and tweets from students, JNU Executive Council has decided to partially roll-back the hostel fee hike announced earlier by the JNU Administration. After the partial roll-back, the revised fee-structure for JNU Hostels would be implemented as follows:

Readers must keep in mind that the information provided above is compiled from various sources. Jagranjosh.com is still trying to get official confirmation on these from JNU Adminsitration. Once confirmed, the same would be updated accordingly.

Updates from earlier in the day...

The administration and students of Jawaharlal Nehru University are on the verge of locking horns as the University Executive Council will be meeting today to discuss and pass a new hostel manual.

The new hostel manual has been a talking point between the students and the university administration for the past few weeks as it proposes changes in the existing rules of the hostels in the university.

The hostel committee of the university had earlier approved the hostel manual in a meeting on October 28, 2019, with consulting the members of JNU student’s union following which the JNU students union conducted protests inside the university campus demanding a change in the newly formed hostel rules.

On Monday, thousands of students were held in a day-long protest during the third convocation ceremony of the university asking for a withdrawal of the new hostel manual.

Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal who has the chief guest for the convocation ceremony along with university Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar and other dignitaries were stranded at the convocation ceremony for close to seven hours as the protesting university students refused to let them leave the venue.

It has also been reported that minor clashed also took place between the students and the stationed police force during the protests during which the police force is said to have used water cannons on the student protestors.

The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union on Tuesday announced that it will be conducting protests outside the Executive Council meeting and also observe a university strike related to the issue. JNU student’s union general secretary Satish Yadav while addressing the media said that the union members and protesting students will again try to meet the university vice-chancellor on Wednesday and will also hand over a memorandum to the Executive Council members requesting them to oppose the proposed draft hostel manual during the EC meeting.

According to the new hostel manual for JNU, the students will have to pay a service charge of Rs. 1,700 per month, which did not exist earlier. As per the students, the rent for a single-seater room which was Rs. 20 earlier has now been increased to Rs. 600 per month while the rent for a double sharing room which was Rs. 10 earlier has been increased to Rs. 300 per month.  Apart from this, the mess security fee which was refundable has increased to Rs. 12,000 from Rs. 5,500.

Along with the increase in the hostel fee, the new hostel manual also has brought in several rules pertaining to the timings of the hostel. As per the new hostel manual, hostel students are not allowed to another person’s room after 10: 30 PM and mandatory permissions from hostel wardens for night outs have been introduced. Hostel students are also prohibited from cooking inside the hostel rooms and a fine of Rs. 10,000 has been introduced for violation of the new rules.

A member from the Executive Council has stated that although the university has not mentioned the hostel manual as a part of the meeting agenda the administration can, however, introduce the same at the spot.

Also Read:JNU Fee Hike: ABVP to approach UGC; DU, BHU extend solidarity to the students