Student protests force Palampur Agricultural University to revoke fee hike, ABVP claims ‘victory’
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DHARAMSHALA: The administration of Palampur Agricultural University has reversed its decision to hike fees after a series of intense student protests led by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and other student bodies.
The protests were sparked by a notification issued on June 11, which announced an increase in fee rates across all university courses.
At a press conference, ABVP Agricultural University unit president Abhay Verma stressed the financial strain that the fee hike would have imposed on poor and middle-class families, particularly those associated with the agricultural sector.
Verma highlighted that the ABVP had immediately appealed to the university’s vice-chancellor to reconsider the fee hike, emphasising the need to balance the interests of economically weaker sections and higher income groups.
“Despite the initial appeal, the vice-chancellor did not respond positively, prompting the ABVP and the university students to escalate their protests. On June 14, the students staged a symbolic dharna and initiated a massive email campaign, urging the Governor to intervene and withdraw the fee hike,” he said.
With no response from the administration, the students organised a large-scale protest on June 19, during which they wore black clothes to symbolise unity, he said. “The pressure from the protest forced the university administration to call a meeting with student representatives at 3:30 pm. Following discussions, the university agreed to roll back the fee hike,” said Abhay.
Agrivision state convener Nitika Thakur detailed the components of the fee reduction: the Red Cross membership fee was reduced from Rs 100 back to Rs 40, the study tour fee was brought down from Rs 3,000 to Rs 2,000 and the fee for BVSc and Veterinary seats was reverted from Rs 12 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. Additionally, laundry charges of Rs 2,500 included in the hostel fee structure were eliminated, the re-exam fee was reduced from Rs 500 to Rs 150 and the fee related to BVSc and H was halved from Rs 50,000 to Rs 25,000.
Abhay congratulated the students on their victory and called for continued unity in addressing future issues. He also appealed to the state government to increase the university’s budget, citing ongoing problems stemming from insufficient funding.
Verma extended his gratitude to the media for their support in highlighting the students’ cause.
