The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Students’ Union today organised protests outside the University over a slew of issues including fee hike even as the University’s convocation ceremony continues inside the campus with Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu as the chief guest.

Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru Students’ Union organises protest over different issues including fee hike, outside university campus. pic.twitter.com/KGU8epEOwD — ANI (@ANI) November 11, 2019

Clashes erupted between the police and JNUSU students protesting over the varsity administration’s “anti-student” policies. The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union has declared a strike against the Draft Hostel Manual which was approved by the Inter-Hall administration. The Draft Hostel Manual has provisions for fees hike, curfew timings and dress restrictions on the students. The Union has asserted that it will not take back its call for a strike until the Hostel Manual is withdrawn.

The University has introduced fees for utility services like water and electricity on an actual basis, and a fixed charge of ₹1700 per month for services like sanitation, maintenance, cook etc. The room rent also has been increased from ₹20 to ₹600 for single-seater and from ₹10 to ₹300 for double seater. One time security which is refundable also has gone up from ₹5,500 to ₹12,000.

Read: JNU faculty member Dr Vandana Mishra kept in illegal captivity by protesting ‘students’ inside classroom

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The Union had on Sunday gave a clarion call to all the students to gather and disclosed their plan to organise a march on Monday to the AICTE auditorium where the convocation is currently underway. Hundreds of students participated in the protests opposing the hostel manual implemented by the JNU administration.

Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University’s Convocation is underway inside the campus where Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu is the chief guest. https://t.co/wD0X6gqmVi pic.twitter.com/QXQOLiZBlL — ANI (@ANI) November 11, 2019

It has been two weeks since the JNU Student’s Union (JNUSU) has been conducting protests over the hostel manual. The JNUSU Vice-Chancellor Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar had on November 8 alleged that Associate Dean Dr Vandana Mishra was kept in illegal captivity by some students as a part of their protest.

Read: ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans echoed on campus even as some JNU ‘students’ protested against Supreme Court verdict on Ayodhya

The last year’s convocation at the JNU, which was second after a period of 46 years was marred with boycott calls by the students’ union, which had accused JNU VC M Jagadesh Kumar of “muzzling their democratic rights”.