After days of protest by the students of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay against the fee hike, the University administration said that it will not be rolling back the hike, informs a student representative. The student also says that the institute has refused to extend the deadline for the fee payment, which was another one of their demands. This was conveyed to the students by the administration at the open house conducted today, July 26.

At the open house, conducted between the student representatives and the administration of the institute, an explanation was offered to the students regarding the Gymkhana fee. It was informed that faculty had been using the Gymkhana for free all this while. Henceforth, a subscription fee payment system will be started for the faculty, a student who wished to stay anonymous told EdexLive. “However, there has been no word on reducing the Gymkhana fee for students who were paying for faculty as well,” the student said. 

Additionally, four elected representatives have been recommended to the Standing Committee for students fee matters but they have not yet been approved, the student added.

Students had earlier protested against the same issue on July 20. They had stated that, “There has been a 45 percent increase in fees with most of the fee components being raised from 25 percent to 50 percent, while the Gymkhana fee alone is increased by 340 percent,” in an open letter to the University administration that was also shared on social media. 

Additionally, the students claimed that none of the student representatives were informed about the decision and the institute refused to provide any documents related to the fee expenditure and fee committee meetings which decided upon the fee hike, a student of the University who wished to remain anonymous told EdexLive. 

More details regarding the open house meeting will be updated.