Students Protest Fee Hike at Gauhati University, Demand Admission Fee Relief
Gauhati University students protest fee hike and withdraw agitation after talks with administration.
Late-night tension gripped Gauhati University on Monday as students staged a large-scale protest against fee hikes and rising admission-related charges, demanding the full implementation of a free admission scheme and reduction of various university fees. The agitation brought together student organisations across political affiliations, creating a rare show of unity on the issue of affordable education.
The protest escalated in the evening when hundreds of students moved out of the campus and blocked a nearby national highway, causing significant disruption to traffic movement in the area. Demonstrators alleged that despite repeated appeals, several students were still unable to benefit from fee concessions, while admission charges and other academic fees had increased, placing financial pressure on families.
Students from multiple groups, including those linked to ruling and opposition political backgrounds as well as independent student bodies, participated in the demonstration. Protesters raised slogans demanding immediate intervention from the university administration and warned that the agitation would intensify if their concerns were not addressed with concrete action. The collective nature of the protest highlighted widespread dissatisfaction over the university’s fee structure.
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As the situation continued late into the night, senior police officials and civil administration representatives arrived at the site and attempted to calm the protesting students. Authorities urged them to withdraw the highway blockade and return to discussions, but the students initially refused, insisting on firm assurances from the university regarding their demands before dispersing.
The deadlock was eventually resolved after late-night negotiations between representatives of the student groups and Gauhati University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Nonigopal Mahanta. During the meeting, the university administration assured that the demands related to the fee waiver scheme and fee reductions would be reviewed seriously. Following this assurance, the students agreed to call off the protest and cleared the highway, restoring normal traffic flow.
Although the agitation has been temporarily suspended, student leaders said they would closely monitor the university’s next steps. They also warned that if promised measures are not implemented effectively, they would resume democratic protests in the future to press for their demands.
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