#FeesMustFall In Pondicherry University

Abhijeet Sudhakaran

At Pondicherry University, SFI has long been in a constant struggle against the attempts to lay financial burdens upon students by the administration , which is adamantly aiding the Central governments’ agendas to commercialise and privatise higher education. The BJP Central government and the MHRD have been undertaking planned measures for its attacks upon the higher educational institutes in the nation. In accordance with these policies, the PU administration has been determined to dump the burden of funding the University upon its students, for whom central universities like PU is the only access to affordable higher education in the country.

In the 2018-19 academic year, the Pondicherry University administration, without any intimation or consultation with the Students’ Council, hiked the fees for all courses in the prospectus released. The hike was quite drastic, upto an increase of 225%, in some departments. The Student’s Council 2018-19, which was led by SFI, took up the issue and called for a united struggle against the unreasonable fee hike. The protest drew a large section of the students community and the administration was forced to reduce the proposed fee for few courses like MBA, MCA and MSc. Computer Science. This was but a small victory in our long struggle. The administration also reduced the PhD fees after repeated representations and negotiations with the research scholars and the Students Council. In the meanwhile, administration introduced a “transportation fee” of Rs. 4000/- for day scholars to avail the bus facility. The bus facility has been free of cost for the students in Pondicherry for years since its initiation.

The Students’ Council Vice President Com. Shonima Nelliat and executive member Com. Bharati went on an indefinite hunger strike against the imposed transportation fee and hiked academic fees for all other courses. This persuaded the PU administration to put a hold on the transportation fee and formed a grievance committee including students to discuss the issues of transportation and academic fees. The administration delayed the meeting of the committee in view of the Students’ Council elections that were nearing and with the hope of keeping the opposing voices raised by SFI away from the recently formed grievance committee. But, breaking the administrations aspirations, SFI sweeped the elections and formed the council with APSF (Ambedkar Periyar Students’ Forum) and AISF. The grievance committee came into being after the Students’ Council 2019-20 was elected. Since then, there were numerous meetings held with administration without them showing any positive approach to the anguish of the students. Despite the students representatives presenting detailed factual data on percentage increases in each course and comparisons with other Central Universities, the committee members, the registrar and the Vice Chancellor stood adamant on the increased fee structure and the imposed transportation fee without proper reasoning.

On 6th February, 2020, the Students’ Council called for a boycott of classes and marched towards the administration building with the demands to revoke the academic fee hike, scrapping of the imposed transportation fee and implementation of 25% reservation for Pondicherry students, which has been a long standing demand in the student struggle in the campus. A large section of the students’ community boycotted the classes and jointly marched protesting against the draconian administration. The administration has been completely unresponsive to the struggle and the Vice Chancellor was escorted away from his office with the use of large police force. The students have decided for an indefinite sit-in at the administration until the demands have been met. As the indefinite sit-in neared its 9th day, a committee including the Students’ Council members has been formed to review the demands put forward. The indefinite strike will continue with all its vigour until the demands have been fulfilled.

This cannot be viewed as an issue of any one particular University, as we have seen from the example of fee hike in JNU and other universities. The very foundation of public educational institutions of higher education are under threat. In a very outlined manner, the right of affordable education is being denied to a section of students. The higher education at central universities has to be accessible to students of all economic and social backgrounds. It is crucial that the students across the country unite against the privatisation and commercialisation of higher education in the country. SFI PU extends revolutionary greetings to all the student organisations, Student Unions and student groups across the country that extended solidarity for the struggle at Pondicherry University. This is a struggle we shall all be united in the darker days to come.

CAA-NRC

The protest against CAA-NRC also gathered large support from the students at Pondicherry University. On the night the bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha, SFI called for a gathering and protest march burning the draft of the bill. On 16th December, all the students’ organization led by the Students’ Council called for a boycott of classes against the brutal police attrocity on the students of Jamia Milia and Aligarh Muslim University and marched on the ECR highway protesting against the Central government’s fascist implementations of anti-constitutional acts and brutal attack upon students for showing their dissent. The Students’ Council organised the students community to form a  human chain to safeguard the democratic and constitutional values of India. There was also a protest gathering against the police shootings at Mangalore and Lucknow against the protestors. SFI also organised protest gatherings against the arrest of Com. Yechuri, Com. Mayukh Biswas and other PB members.

The Students’ Council was invited to be part of the University Convocation held on 23rd December to be attended by the President of India. On the light of the protests across the nation, the Students’ Council denied the invitation and boycotted the event. It appealed to the students community and the alumni to boycott the event as a gesture of solidarity to students facing the state repression and to register the dissent against the unconstitutional legislation. A large number of students including many gold medallists boycotted the event in support of the Council’s call. At times of such struggles, it is important to view the struggles at various places as one united struggle against the fascist regime. The Students’ Council President Com. Parichay attended the struggles at Jamia and JNU, addressing and extending solidarity towards the brave battles they have been fighting for over a month. On the eve of Republic day, the Students Council organised a cultural night “We the People” from 9pm to 4am bringing together a large number of students on a common platform to uphold the values of the constitution. The preamble was read out in over 25 languages. The protest against CAA-NRC and fee hike was a central theme in all the Council activities conducted.

It is imperative for us all to realise that these struggles are not the end nor are these isolated to any campus in the country. These are planned onslaughts by the right wing government on the very foundation of the future of our nation. The major opposition to the BJP’s agendas have been at the universities and streets of this country. The students across the country should be able to lead these struggles ahead towards a united struggle against the BJP government’s attempts at privatisation of  higher education and the attacks on the fundamental values of our constitution.

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Abhijeet Sudhakaran is a student of South Asian Studies at the Pondicherry Central University.

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