ABVP urges education minister to reduce university fees, permit instalments

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Wednesday presented a memorandum to Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal, urging him to reduce university fees and permit fee payment in instalments due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Along with the revocation of the hiked fees in private and government schools and higher education institutes in the present semester, ABVP has also called for significant cuts in the earlier fee structure in view of the prevailing circumstances. While defining the differential features and requirements of the customary and online modes of education, ABVP has asked for an instalment-based fee-payment option after the reduction in gross fees by foregoing demands corresponding to hostel, utilities and other similar charges until the pandemic subsides," the ABVP said in a statement on Wednesday.

It added that a similar memorandum had been sent earlier to the Union Ministry of Law and Justice, demanding a fee reduction at various national law universities.

"In the memorandum, the ABVP highlighted the problem of pandemic-induced widespread financial distress and requested educational institutes to adopt a liberal approach towards fee-related issues to provide immediate and tangible respite to the student community," it said.

"Several IIMs, NITs, polytechnic institutes, private schools, and colleges have witnessed steep fee-hikes. The conduct of such varsities is unethical and unpardonable in light of the continuing socio-economic challenges. While ABVP has been agitating against the unjustified fee-hike at Punjab University, consensus-driven, uniform policy guidelines and directives have become imperative to quickly resolve the fee-related troubles afflicting India's large student-community," the statement quoted Nidhi Tripathi, National General Secretary of the ABVP.

( With inputs from ANI )