NEW DELHI: After giving concession to candidates under the BPL category and taking back the hike on security deposit, the JNU administration announced a cut in service and utility charges but the dissenting students’ union remained firm on its demand of a rollback.
The decision of giving a cut was made after a high-powered committee, set up by the Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD), on Monday submitted a report with recommendations to the university administration.
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The estimated utility and service charges in the hostels, which is Rs 2,000 per month, including electricity and water charges of Rs 300 a month, came under scrutiny. The panel has recommended that Rs 1,000 may be charged per month in place of Rs 2,000 towards the utility and service charges for all the students. It also recommended 75 per cent reduction in the utility and service charges for all eligible BPL students who would be charged Rs 500 in place of Rs 2,000 per month.
In a statement, Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union said the administration should “think twice before engaging in such juvenile stunts and testing the patience of the students”.
“On the substantive issue of this so-called concession, the administration has no idea as to how it is going to implement the so-called relief for BPL Students. The vice-chancellor in an interview has himself acknowledged the same...,” JNUSU said.
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“In reality, the administration has never had any data on BPL students because no such estimation was made by the government since 2002 and the definition of the BPL as those with annual earnings of Rs 27,000 per annum is itself hotly contested.”
The JNU administration had earlier announced a concession of 50 per cent for all students in the service and utility charges apart from 75 per cent concession for eligible BPL category students for the same.
“The very idea of utility and service charge is outrageous and unacceptable. The amount they suggested is untenable and students will have to drop out if this sustains,” JNUSU said, adding that student leaders participated in the dialogue in the right spirit.
“When they speedily bring out their recommendations, they may please take note of yet another illegal procedural manoeuvre by the JNU admin. Our demands are just and reasonable and any action by the HPC facilitating them can be the only condition for a return to normalcy as all parties wish for,” it said.
‘Think twice before engaging in juvenile stunt’
In a strongly worded reaction, the JNUSU asked the administration to think twice before “testing the patience” of students.
“The administration should think twice before engaging in such juvenile stunts and testing the patience of the students,” the JNUSU said.