Students lock IITE VC, teachers inside campus

Students, AVBP leaders seek reduction in fee, removal of mess fee as students have been attending online classes since March

Fed up of authorities turning a blind eye to the demand of students, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and students staged a protest at Indian Institute of Teacher's Education on Friday. When the authorities with the help of security personnel reportedly tried to stop agitating students from entering campus, protesting members performed tala-bandhi and locked teachers, administrative staff and Vice-Chancellor Harshad Patel inside the Gandhinagar campus.

Dinesh Chocha, IITE President for ABVP, said students have been demanding reduction in fees as well as deduction of hostel mess fees as they have been attending academic classes online since the lockdown in March. "We have been asking authorities to slash fees by 50% and allow students to pay it in two instalments. The students have only attended classes for 57 days and stayed in hostel for the same number of days but the university wants them to pay complete fees. December 10 was the last day to pay fees but we heard nothing from the varsity so we decided to protest," he said..

The students submitted a memorandum in this regard to the authorities.

Calls to V-C Patel did not elicit a response. IITE Public Relation Officer said, "The University has received a representation of only one student named Dinesh Chocha. The varsity will put it in the next meeting of the Finance Committee for discussion. The final decision will be taken by the Finance Committee only." AM