Protesting AUD students allegedly slapped with fines, de-enrolled from courses for dissent

Students of Ambedkar University Delhi have been protesting over the last few months against the high fees. The students are now alleging that those protesting against the hike are being slapped with fines and are also de-rolling them from their courses by the administration. 

The All India Students Association stated that four of its members have been de-rolled. “There is an ongoing movement against the high fees at AUD. Along with the extremely high fees the administration has also brought in policies that have made education inaccessible to students from SC/ST/PwD/EWS/OBC backgrounds. This is an ongoing battle between students and faculty against the administration,” the AISA said in a statement. 

The protesting students boycotted classes and didn’t pay fees. The students who couldn’t pay their fees for the monsoon semester 2020 have allegedly been de-enrolled and are being asked to pay a 25 per cent fine over the entire fee for re-enrollment. 

“This establishes their true agenda of turning our university into a money-making business. The administration has proved again that they will do anything to push students from marginalized and economically weaker sections out of AUD. They have no shame in demanding an added 25 per cent (of the total fee) fine from students who weren't able to pay the original amount in the first place,” the students said. 

They called the University’s move to slap these fines and de-enroll students as undemocratic and ‘anti-student’, “Instead of providing fee exemption to needy students and realizing the blunder that is the New Reservation Policy, the administration has de-enrolled students and tried to curb voices of students who are genuinely facing immense financial problems. The de-enrollment tactic is also being used to exploit and intimidate students who boycotted classes and fee payment as a protest against the ongoing process of privatization and saffronisation at AUD.” the students argued. 

AISA also demanded the re-enrollment of all the students before the beginning of the next semester, for the late fine to be scrapped and for a fee exemption for students who are unable to pay the fees.