Prime Minister, India: Roll back the decision of massive fee hike in Himachal Pradesh University
There has been a massive fee hike for the under graduate, PG classes and for the research scholars in the name of various funds.
For research scholars doing M.Phil or Ph. D who should have been given scholarships to continue their research activity, university authority is charging monthly research fund since last two/three years and now there has been an increase of almost 250 to 300%.
Founded on 22 July, 1970 the Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla is the only state university of HP who has been the temple of learning for the people of this state, country and even from abroad providing basic education. Being a hilly area, people of the HP are largely dependent on agriculture, the government job being the second option. The sources of income are not enough and so diverse in the state and the nominal fee of this university until last 3 or 4 year has given a golden opportunity for the people of every section of the society to get the higher education to fulfill their dreams. Owing to this, the university has produced professionals, academician, sports person, administrator (HAS, HPAS, IAS, IPS etc.), doctors well distinguished at state, national and international level over the last 4 decades.
It has now become a matter of grave concern that in the name of the lack of funds, the fee hike has been considered as one of the option for overcoming the same. A fee hike has already been done during last 2-3 year but this time this hike is so much that it will be difficult for the poor section of the society to even dream for higher education and that too if one wishes the same from this only state university of HP. The Hon’ble VC says that the decision of fee hike has been taken in consent of the teachers of this university and by the EC members. It is strange that the highly paid teaching faculty and EC members who include the MLA’s chosen by the society for the welfare are thinking fee hike as the resource for fund generation. It is ironical that having so many alternate to overcome financial burden, university is thinking fee hike as the only alternate.
Vice-Chancellor says “If you don’t have money then leave this university otherwise pay the fee.”
And above all every year the fee will increase 10%. It is clear that students has been taken as granted as a bank which will pay the money to this university like a bank does.
Since 2012, UGC has notified that every research scholar should be given stipend for their research work. But in HPU nothing has been done regarding this by the authority. For research scholar only registration and thesis submission/evaluation fee was taken earlier. Now, university has started taking monthly charges also. The fee has been increased almost 350%. Along with their research work, almost 60% of the classes in this university are taught by the research scholars due to lack of teaching staff in various departments of the university. But they are not paid for the same. A research scholar in HPU has to worry about for not getting any scholarship and at the same time has to pay the enormous amount of money despite not getting any support from the university in place of carrying out his research work. This is not the same in any other university in the country.
In short, for people of the society, especially for poor, who want to get higher education from HPU will remain a dream if this fee hike is not taken back. Even vice chancellor of HPU is not listening in this matter and is firm in decision regarding fee hike despite the protests going on all over the state by student community.
This is a situation where students from all over the state are demanding to roll back this enormous fee hike so that they can get their higher education and serve the society better in near future.
Being the Prime Minister of this country, you are therefore requested kindly to look seriously in this matter and stop this massive unjustified fee hike.
Looking forward for your immediate and positive response.
With regards,
Research Scholars
Himachal Pradesh University,
Summer Hill, Shimla-171005