NIFT Fee Hike : Government must stop using pandemic as opportunity to exploit students

All India Students’ Association (AISA) stands in complete solidarity with protesting students of NIFT who are strongly raising their voice against the institutes authoritarian decision of demanding massive fees from the students during pandemic.

In these times of pandemic, students have and continue to suffer in all spheres of their life. Along with academic and financial loss, careers of many students are at stake. But what’s been the most unfortunate for students’ community is the betrayal and inconsiderate response of government in order to deal with problems being faced by students.

Under these circumstances, demand made by NIFT to pay FULL TUITION FEES by students, that amounts to as high as Rs 1 lakh 30,000 along with LIBRARY FEES, and HOSTEL FEES demanded in separate, even though no student has presence in the campus for the last four months at least. Also, for the upcoming semester NIFT has increased its fees by around 10%. Most of the courses offered by NIFT includes regular laboratory classes which will be impossible to conduct amidst this pandemic; hence it is complete injustice to force the students to pay full tuition fees. This act of institute is not just irresponsible on their part but also makes no sense in these times when the whole country is going through massive financial crisis and job loss.

What is more shameful is that NIFT has issued threat to students by mailing them social media policy that student who protested about the institute’s refusal to decrease the fees or talked about it on social media will be debarred from the exams. Also it is ironic that social media policy of NIFT refers to ‘constitution of India’ in order to shut down the voices of dissent and uses terms as ‘general harmony’ as measure to take action against student who are protesting against fee hike and massive fee demand. Further, it threatens students of disciplinary action and legal actions as per the provisions in IT Act 2000 & amendments 2008. Not just this is mockery of one’s fundamental right to protest but at the same time it harassment of students while totally neglecting their mental health and financial well-being.

AISA demand’s the MHRD, and NIFT be considerate towards the grievances being faced by Student community and immediately roll back fee hike and take back the decision demanding students massive fees in these times of pandemic. AISA demands NIFT to stop threatening the students and recognise their right to freedom of expression.