IIT (ISM) students join fee waiver chorus

Sindri: A group of students from various Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) across the country launched a campaign -- #ReduceIITFee – on Wednesday evening to demand fee waiver from the Union human resource ministry amid the pandemic.
Aman Singh and Akash Kumar, students of IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, said besides reduction in semester fee, the students also want waivers in certain fees being levied by some as the students are not availing campus facilities and are attending classes online from their homes.
Talking to TOI, the students said the pandemic has affected the financial condition of institutions, corporate houses and individuals across the world and their parents are no exceptions. Income and salaries of many parents have dropped, but they have are being asked to deposit semester fees charged as usual, the students said.
Students were asked to vacate hostels due to the spread of the virus and classes, including practicals, are now being held online. “Though the IIT (ISM) authorities have waived off mess and hostel charges, students are being asked to pay hostel management fee, water and electricity charges, computer and internet charges, student activity fee, sports subscription fee, library fee etc, which we have not availed for months,” the students said, adding that Google Meet and Zoom classes were uses for students for free and the family of the students had to pay internet charges and electricity bill.
Similarly, while the students have not attended any practical classes and teachers are just showing them the video of labs online, why should they pay the laboratory charges, they asked, adding that this cannot qualify to be called a proper lab or practical class.
The Centre should consider reducing fees and pass necessary orders for payment in installments besides waiving off charges for institutional facilities not being availed by the students, they said, adding that they have launched the campaign for fee reduction on a social messaging app and a social media portal from 8PM on Wednesday.