JNU waves off hiked hostel fee and late fine for protesting students

Initially, according to sources, the university administration wanted to challenge the order before a greater bench as several observations of the court were against the university. However, the administration was advised to avoid confrontation with the judiciary as it was not the final order.

In pursuance of the directions of Delhi High Court, the administration of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Monday allowed the protesting students to register in the ensuing winter semester as per the old hostel fee and also waived off late fee. The court in its decision on Friday had directed the university to allow about 10 percent remaining students on the old hostel manual and without the late fee.

“This is for the information of all concerned that the registration of students until Monday, 3rd February 2020, will be without any late fine, as per the decision of the Hon’ble High Court order number WP (C) 869/2020 & CM No. 2737/2030 dated January 24, 2020. In addition, the students registering from 24th January to 3rd February will not be charged revised room rent of the hostels,” said a circular singed by JNU Registrar Dr. Pramod Kumar. The JNU Students Union (JUNSU) President Ayshe Ghosh and other office bearers had challenged the constitutionality and legal validity of a decision of Inter Hostel Administration (IHA) in Delhi High Court on the ground that the view of the union was not sought in before implementing the order.

As the Vice-Chancellor Prof. M. Jagadesh Kumar has been very strict in the implementation of the fee hike, even the protesting students were not hopeful about a smooth implementation of the order. "We urge the JNU Admin not to try to bypass yet another court order," had tweeted JNUSU (@JNUSU) immediately after the order on January 24. 

JNUSU Legal Update and Statement - 24/1/20.We urge the JNU Admin not to try to bypass yet another court order. #FeesMustFall pic.twitter.com/wJfeYS9lnf

— JNUSU (@JNUSUofficial) January 24, 2020

 

Initially, according to sources, the university administration wanted to challenge the order before a greater bench as several observations of the court were against the university. However, the administration was advised to avoid confrontation with the judiciary as it was not the final order.

JNU Administration in order on October 28, 2019, had made amendments in the hostel manual and hiked the hostel fee besides creating a new head of service and utility charges. Students have been protesting the order since the beginning which took violent forms on several occasions but the most gruesome was the attack of masked men on Sabarmati hostel on January 5 in which over 20 students were injured.

Besides the JNUSU, the teachers’ union of the university (JNUTA) has also demanded immediate removal of the Vice-Chancellor of the university.