RD students protest hostel fees hike

The hostel boarders of Rama Devi (RD) Women’s College protested the decision by the college authorities to hike the establishment and canteen fees on Tuesday.

More than 500 students of the three hostels on the college premises had to resort to strike after the intimation by the college authorities to increase the hostel boarding fees by Rs 500. The college authorities had reportedly revised the boarding fees from Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000 (for six months), four months back assuring them of numerous new facilities. They had also increased the canteen expenses from Rs  600 to Rs 900 (per month) promising good food.  Recently, the college authorities announced that there would be second hike in the boarding and canteen fees. They proposed to increase the boarding fees by another Rs 600 for every six months and the canteen fees by Rs 100 every month.  Hearing this, a few of the students approached the college authorities on Tuesday, requesting them not to increase the fees. “They were adamant on increasing both the hostel and canteen fees and did not pay any heed to our requests. Since this is a government college, not many of us can afford such high fees,” said one of the agitating students.  “The three hostels have one cleaning staffer for every floor, but this is not enough. There is no proper sanitation but we have to put up with these conditions, in spite of RD College being one of the most sought after colleges in the city,” said another student.

When it was evident that they would not  change their decision, the boarders from all the three hostels that comprised  +2, graduation and post-graduation students, gathered outside the college gate to protest. It was after the intervention of the police that the college authorities decided to address the students. The  authorities have agreed not to increase the canteen fees, but they are non-committal about the boarding fees.

After the protest, the students were afraid of being penalised by the college authorities for staging the protest. Some college staffers who visited the hostels after the protest have reportedly threatened the students for staging the protest.