On Friday, students protested against the hike in examination fees at the University of Hyderabad (UoH). Outside the campus office of the Controller of Examinations (CoE), students raised slogans.
Shiva Durga Rao, secretary of the Students Federation of India (SFI) on campus, said exam fees were recently raised from Rs 600 to Rs 4000. Students raised the issue with management, stating that the hike was a burden for many marginalized students. According to Rao, the administration responded insensitively, stating that nothing could be done.
Under the ‘one nation one exam’ program, the UoH entrance exam (as well as those for other Central Universities in India) was replaced with the Central University Entrance Test (CUET).
A fee of Rs 1000 was previously charged by UoH for entrance exam applications. Despite the CUET, the university charged students Rs 1000 for ‘processing applications’.
Additionally, students found it unfair that the entrance fee for five courses under MA and M.Sc social sciences was raised. The application fee for the five courses was previously Rs 600. From 2022, the university will collect Rs 600 for each subject’s entrance test, adding up to a total of Rs 3000 if the student wishes to apply to all five courses.
Students from marginalized communities suddenly have to pay Rs 4000 to write the CUET and apply for certain courses, said Rao. When the students peacefully protested, the security guards were rough with them.
“We were treated roughly by male security guards, including female students. Any changes have not been formally announced by the administration. The VC did not address the students and instead demanded that we leave the area through the security guards,” he added.
If no changes are made in the near future, a rally will be organized by various student bodies at the university, according to the SFI functionary.
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