AUD students happy after admin agrees to disburse tablets, remove late free fine

At the same time, the university is yet to roll back its hike and change the reservation policy for the students of Delhi
AUD campus
AUD campus

Fees are yet to fall. However, the Students' Council of Ambedkar University Delhi calls their meeting with the Vice-Chancellor Dr Anu Singh Lather successful. Even though the 10 per cent fee hike is yet to be rolled back and the reservation policy isn't changed, the AUDSC members say that Lather has agreed to all their other demands.

Considering that the lectures are held online, owing to the pandemic, the university has now waived off the extra-mural fee of Rs 5,000. "Apart from this, they have extended the deadline to pay fees to November 18 from October 18. They have also agreed to start disbursing tablets for students from underprivileged backgrounds from October 7. They have bought the first set of tablets," says Subhojeet Dey, Treasurer, AUDSC.

"The university will start distributing tablets to students need-based and as per economic criteria, day-after-tomorrow. The University confirms the procurement of tablets and that around 40 economically "needy" students will be provided with the same," reads a statement issued by the university. "The university will begin the process of collecting internet reimbursement claims for this semester from October 07,2O2O," it reads.

Subhojeet says that the university will also disburse the Student Welfare Fund to students, upon them producing bills, not necessarily from the university.

What's the status of the fees?

The students of AUD have been fighting against a yearly 10 per cent hike in their fees since the last academic year. "It is unfair for us to pay as much as Rs 27,000 per semester at a state-funded university. Students in other state universities in Delhi pay a fee of approximately Rs 1,000 per semester," says Subhojeet. However, students' demand of rolling back the hike was not agreed to by the Vice-Chancellor.

"The University has not received a budget from the State Government (Delhi government) and hence did not communicate the specificities of University expenditure and where student fee figures in," the university's statement explains its stand. At the same time, it has extended the deadline and has waived off the late fee fine from the students. "Students who have already paid the fee and were charged a late fee fine will be reimbursed that money," it says.

It also says that it is building a mechanism that will allow the students to pay their fees in installments.

The reservation issue

An issue of disappointment that the students expressed was the university not changing its reservation policy. "The earlier reservation policy in AUD stated that to avail the Delhi domicile reservation, you can either be a Delhi resident or provide a certificate that says that their last qualifying degree was from a Delhi college. However, now, they have taken off the first clause," says Subhojeet. "We were told that only the Delhi government can take a call here," he adds.

The students say that earlier, SC/ST students could provide the caste certificates from their respective states to avail reservation in AUD. "But now, they are to produce certificates from Delhi. But Delhi doesn't have an ST list. This means that those 7.5 per cent may remain empty," says Subhojeet. At the same time, the university has now said.  "The University will bring out an official notification about SC/ST lists in conformity with the GNCTD policies being followed in other Delhi State Universities established by Govt of NCT of Delhi."
 

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