delhi

Updated: Jan 21, 2020 21:29 IST

The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) on Tuesday moved the Delhi High Court against the increase in hostel fees. The petition, filed by JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh and other office bearers, wants the court to direct the administration to allow students to register as per the old fees structure.

It also urged the court to restrict JNU authorities from imposing late fee on students who want to register for the January 2020 winter semester.

The petition submitted that decisions taken by university’s Inter Hostel Administration (IHA) in its October, 2019 meeting are malafide, arbitrary and illegal and adversely affect the students.

“The present writ petition is being filed by the members of Jawaharlal Nehru University Student Union (JNUSU) challenging the Inter Hostel Administration (IHA) decision dated 28.10.2019 amending the Hostel Manual, the Minutes of the 283rd Meeting of the Executive Council (EC) dated 13.11.2019 ratifying the IHA decision and the High level committee dated 25.11.2019 making further amendments to the Hostel Manual. That the aforesaid decisions are malafide, arbitrary and illegal and adversely affect the student community of the Respondent University bringing far reaching changes to the provisions of the Hostel Manual,” the plea said.

The government, meanwhile, said that the basic demand of JNU students on the issue of hostel fee hike has been met.

“Over 80 per cent students have already registered for the winter semester. The students who want to study should not be disturbed. If our universities have to excel in global competition, we need to rise above these issues,” Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ told news agency PTI in an interview.

Asserting that the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) is not aimed at taking away anybody’s citizenship, the minister appealed to students “to explain this to those misleading public on the issue and indulging in petty politics”.