Even as Manonmaniam Sundaranar University is gearing up to host the valediction of its silver jubilee celebration on Thursday, over 300 students from various colleges staged a demonstration in front of its premises at Abhishekapatti on Wednesday in protest against revision of examination fee.
The agitation, organised by Students’ Federation of India, was withdrawn in the afternoon after the university authorities agreed for partial reduction of the fee. As per the decision taken following talks held between the protestors and Vice-Chancellor K. Baskar, Registrar A. John De Britto, Controller of Examinations S. Prabakar and Revenue Divisional Officer P. Fermi Vidya, the fee increased for undergraduate courses has been reduced to Rs. 75 for a paper from Rs. 90. The fee for postgraduate paper will be Rs. 130 instead of Rs. 150.
The students began a series of protests in various forms ever since the announcement on increase in examination fee. When the students started gathering in front of the main entrance of the university in the morning, a strong police force led by Deputy Commissioner of Police Pradeep Kumar was deployed to avert unpleasant incidents.
Even as sloganeering was going on, a team of SFI office-bearers met Dr. Baskar with a plea to reduce the fee.
Detained at check-posts Meanwhile, Kanniyakumari police detained 168 students at check-posts at Anjugraamam and Aralvaimozhi as they were on their way to join the protest. They were detained in a marriage hall and released in the evening.
SFI’s Tirunelveli district secretary C. Thirumalai Nambi, who participated in the talks, said the agitation had only been suspended as the university authorities had agreed for only a partial reduction of examination fee. “Since the increase will seriously affect the students, especially those from poor economic background, the university should consider complete rollback of the raise. If not, we will continue our agitation after the end of the forthcoming semester examinations,” he said.
